Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), has urged the National Assembly to amend the nation’s Constitution towards empowering the Accountant-General of the Federation to deduct from source, the counterpart fund payable by every state government to the Universal Basic Education Fund.

He also urged the Federal Ministry of Education to reduce the number of out-of-school girls by ensuring compulsory free education for all girls across the country.

Falana made the calls in commemoration of the 2023 International Day of the Girl Child. He called on the members of the House of Representatives to pass a resolution on the implementation of Child’s Rights Act, 2003 and the Compulsory Free Universal Basic Education Act 2004.

His call followed the adoption of a motion moved by a Representative, Kafilat Ogbara (APC-Lagos). The legislator had said the last survey by UNICEF revealed that 18.5 million children were out of school in Nigeria, 60 per cent of whom were girls.

While insisting that adolescent girls have the right to education, safe and healthy life, Ogbara said investing in girls’ leadership would include creating space and platforms for girls to raise their voices at every policy-making level.

Other lawmakers argued along that line too.

But the human rights lawyer described the arguments and resolutions that followed as needless and unfortunate, saying it only showed that the federal lawmakers were lacking in institutional memories of even the progress made by the Legislature in making laws to promote universal access to basic education.

He said: “These laws have been observed in their breach because the members of the political class, drawn from all registered political parties, have not demonstrated any commitment to the education of every child in Nigeria.

“Hence, members of the legislative and executive organs of governments have failed to appreciate the danger of having 18.5 million out-of-school children, the highest number in the world. Therefore, amending the Compulsory Free Universal Basic Education Act to make it more stringent for parents will not work in a poverty-stricken environment.

“What the National Assembly should do instead is address the refusal of state governments to make counterpart contributions to the Universal Basic Education Fund pursuant to Section 2 of the Compulsory Free Universal Basic Education Act.”

He urged the National Assembly to ensure that any amendment of the Constitution would empower the Accountant-General of the Federation to deduct from source the counterpart fund payable by every state government to the Universal Basic Education Fund.