Data from Nigeria’s 2022 Multidimensional Poverty Index showed that about 730,000 children aged between six and 15 in Yobe were out of school, representing 62.9 per cent of the state’s school-age children.
A document obtained by SaharaReporters has raised fresh questions about the spending priorities of the Yobe State Government after an official letter showed approval for the release of ₦1.5 billion for the International Cargo Airport, Damaturu, while an accompanying project schedule lists proposed projects with a combined value of about ₦20 billion.
The document, signed by the Secretary to the Yobe State Government, Baba Mallam Wali, states that Governor Mai Mala Buni approved the release of ₦1,501,766,245.66 to the Ministry of Transport and Energy to fund payments relating to the International Cargo Airport, Damaturu.
The accompanying schedule lists a wide range of projects, including airport equipment, furnishing and runway lighting, the completion of modern markets in Damaturu, Nguru, Potiskum and Gashua, electrification of family homes, drilling of boreholes, construction of a Potiskum Transit Park and ₦3 billion allocated for project consultancy.
The document has prompted questions about whether the state’s spending priorities adequately reflect the pressing needs of residents, particularly communities grappling with limited access to basic services such as education and potable water.
