“Anambra Is Back to Winning Ways” – ASUBEB Chair Hails Gov. Soludo for Clearing UBE Grant Arrears for 2019–2021

Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo, has successfully cleared the Universal Basic Education (UBE) matching grant arrears for 2019, 2020, and 2021—an important milestone in repositioning the state’s education sector for sustainable development.

Before Governor Soludo assumed office on March 17, 2022, Anambra was unable to access UBE grants for those years due to its failure to fulfill counterpart funding obligations. This was revealed by the Chairperson of the Anambra State Universal Basic Education Board (ASUBEB), Dr. Vera Nwadinobi, during a midterm report briefing on the implementation of UBE projects.

Dr. Nwadinobi explained that settling the backlog was essential to enable Anambra to access the 2022–2024 matching grants from the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC). She praised Governor Soludo’s swift intervention and financial commitment, which ensured the release of the required counterpart funds.

“It is indeed worthy of celebration that Gov. Soludo has, in under three years, cleared the backlogs and ensured that Anambra remains current with its UBE funding obligations,” she stated. “We, at ASUBEB, will continue to execute his vision on education with great commitment. I am particularly proud that Anambra is back to winning ways.”

In furtherance of these efforts, Anambra State signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with UBEC on June 16, 2025. This new partnership has enabled the State to participate in a key training session on the updated framework for accessing UBE funds. The training, held from June 19–20 at the Abuja Continental Hotel, was presided over by UBEC Executive Secretary, Hajiya Aisha Garba.

With the backlogs cleared and active engagement with UBEC underway, Anambra is now better positioned to leverage federal resources to drive educational development across the state.