The administration of Arc. Sonny Echono as the Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) is characterised by efficiency and quick response to intervention projects. This is obvious in the number of projects executed so far in the beneficiary public tertiary institutions across the country.

In spite of the efforts of the Fund in enhancing knowledge through provision of necessary facilities in tertiary institutions, it has in recent times witnessed a surge in the activities of fraudulent individuals and groups who devise all means to defraud stakeholders and unsuspecting members of the public in the name of the Fund.

Also prevalent was the attempt by certain individuals and groups to malign the leadership of the Fund and disrupt its activities over management’s determination not to succumb to frivolous requests, which are grossly in violation of the agency’s mandate.

Some of the antics employed by these individuals and groups include allegation of contract fraud and procurement racketeering. This was the first attempt made to malign the current leadership of the Fund.

The plan was exposed through a publication by one of the popular Nigerian online publisher in July 2022, titled “Disquiet in Nigeria Education Agency, TETFund, Over Contracts Fraud, Procurement Racketeering, Others, under New Head, Sonny Echono.”

These unfounded allegations, which came up barely four months after the assumption of office of the Executive Secretary, were quickly addressed by the Fund in a Press Release titled, “Corruption Fights Back as Echono Implements Sweeping Reforms” issued on July 22, 2022. After a thorough investigation, it was discovered that the allegations were not only lacking in merit but also sponsored by self-seeking individuals and groups who felt aggrieved at the sweeping reforms introduced to eliminate corruption and promote accountability at the Fund.

In spite of the efforts at addressing the unfounded publication, certain people, who have sought all forms of unholy sponsorship, support and patronage from the Fund but denied, have continued to come up under different guises, alleging corruption at the Fund, “copying and pasting” same spurious information contained in Sahara Reporters’ publication.

As TETFund was fighting one monster, another was springing up. Within the same period, it received reports of fake Special Intervention Approval Letters, which were presented to heads of beneficiary institutions by fraudulent individuals, who claimed to represent the interest of the Fund.

Consequently, heads of institutions were cautioned to beware of such practice and verify all transactions directly from TETFund. Security agencies were also informed and some arrests made, which were being prosecuted.

The Fund has also received various reports about the activities of some nefarious individuals/groups who attempt to commit fraud using the name and profile of the Executive Secretary in operating fake social media accounts such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, with claims of providing opportunities of TETFund procurement jobs to unsuspecting members of the public.

“We have repeatedly and consistently warned members of the public that the Executive Secretary is not on any of these social media platforms and does not transact any kind of business on them,” the Fund had warned then.

On the scholarship and grant scam, the Fund also received reports of fraudulent claims of payment of grants and award of scholarships to Nigerian Students.

This was usually circulated on social media platforms with a link that directs victims to fraudulent websites. This had no other intention than to create disaffection among students towards the Fund.

There were equally reports of fake employment opportunities advertised online, which the Fund has been active in dispelling.

While all these were going on, Echono was busy working to actualise the mandate of the Fund. It is important to state that TETFund has been established as an international brand with two countries currently understudying its system and processes.

Ghana has since adopted the same model with the establishment of Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund). The Fund has entered into 11 international partnership agreements and appointed into global knowledge-based institutions spanning research, innovation and funding models.

Also, considering the giant strides and positive contributions of the Fund towards national development, it becomes a great disservice to the country for faceless and self-serving individuals and groups to attempt to discredit the agency through false and baseless allegations.