• ‘We only promised to pay N5,000 monthly’

Facilitators of the State Agency for Mass Education (SAME) in Nigeria’s northwest region have alleged corruption within the agency, claiming they were shortchanged on promised stipends and equipment.

The facilitators, working in Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara states, accuse SAME leaders of failing to fulfil commitments made as part of the agency’s literacy initiative aimed at supporting almajiri and school dropouts.

One of the facilitators, Aliyu Lawal Dutsin-ma from Katsina State, disclosed that the programme, a collaboration between Community Health Connect and SAME, had initially promised them monthly stipends of N30,000 and motorcycles to ease transportation. However, facilitators report receiving only N5,000 monthly and no motorcycles.

“We were promised N30,000 monthly, but they paid us only N5,000. They also failed to provide the promised motorcycles,” Dutsin-ma stated, adding that facilitators had been pressured to continue working despite the shortfall in payment.

He revealed that beginning in October 2023, facilitators received N5,000 monthly instead of the agreed sum, and with the programme nearing completion, they are now calling for full payment.

The facilitators have also appealed to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the allegations of corruption within SAME.

In response, Abdulbaki Lawal Lema, one of the programme leaders, denied any promise of N30,000 stipends, claiming that the facilitators had been informed about the N5,000 payment while awaiting the commencement of another programme offering higher compensation.

“Nobody promised them N30,000; the N5,000 is from SAME, and Community Health Connect did not commit to N30,000,” Lema explained, attributing the confusion to a “mix-up.”

Maryam Abdurahman, a mentor in the programme, added that facilitators had been informed in a meeting with House of Representatives members that legislation might be introduced to ensure a N30,000 monthly payment but noted that such a law had yet to be enacted.

She dismissed the facilitators’ claims as baseless, warning of possible legal action, and stated that no formal memorandum of understanding guaranteed the higher payments.