Date: 2019-07-03

Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State on Monday approved the immediate release of a total of N682m as payment of counterpart fund for the provision of infrastructure in primary schools, nutrition for children and primary health care in the state.

Two statements signed on Tuesday by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Rafiu Ajakaye, said the governor approved the release of N450m to the Universal Basic Education Commission and a total of N232m for primary health care, health insurance and children nutrition.

The statement said AbdulRazaq signed the documents approving the refund of the N450m during a meeting with the Permanent Secretary in the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board, Bayo Onimago, and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance Benjamin Fatigun in Ilorin, the state capital.

The payment of the N450m according to the statement was a precondition for readmitting Kwara to the UBEC after a five-year ban under the Abdulfatai Ahmed's administration.

In another statement, Governor AbdulRazaq reportedly approved the immediate payment of N232m in counterpart funding to deepen access to primary health care, health insurance and nutrition for under-three children in the state.

Ajakaye said the N232m included N100m counterpart funds for Basic Health care Provision Funds; N50m for Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria; and another N82m to access global grants for malaria.

The statement said the release of the counterpart funds for BHPV would grant Kwara access to the World Bank/Federal Government's grant to cater for health needs of pregnant and nursing women and children.