How TETFund interventions have impacted physical development at ADUSTECH

The conspicuous multi-billion naira physical structures and installations spread across the Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology (ADUSTECH), Wudil, Kano State, are practical evidence of the commitment of the Arc. Sonny Echono-led Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) to deliver on the mandate of the Federal Government to enhance academic excellence across the country’s higher institutions.

While the Fund has made giant footprints and justifiable investments towards building human capacity, improved academic research and publication, upscale access to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the state-owned university, its lines of interventions, essentially on infrastructure, have brought the university into limelight and largely expanded her carrying capacity.

For instance, TETFund under the leadership of Echono released over N642,848,138.00 to the university under Year 2022 Tertiary Education Trust Fund Intervention Allocation (2022/SX364), following the approval by former president Muhammadu Buhari to promote scholarship and access to education.

The 2022 Allocation took care of 10 lines of interventions, including Physical Intervention/Programme Upgrade; Academic Training and Development; Library Development; Conference Attendance; Institution Based Research; TETFund Project Maintenance; ICT Support; Entrepreneurship; Publication of Journals and Manuscript Development.

The university’s Director of Physical Planning and Development, Alhassan K. Sabo, an engineer, was approached and he listed benefits of TETFund interventions, particularly in the area of physical structures. He explained that the interventions received from TETFund have tremendously impacted the institution’s infrastructural space.

He added that the university, under the leadership of Prof. Musa Tukur Yakasai as the Vice Chancellor, ensured that the funds approved to address deficiencies in core areas of teaching and learning, facilities and resources as well as academic relevance were judiciously utilised.

Although the deployment of resources and execution of projects under the 2022 intervention has since taken a full swing, the director revealed that majority of the projects listed in previous years’ interventions have been completed and are currently of immense benefit to the university.

Sabo said:  “Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology, Wudil, Kano State is one of the state universities enjoying TETFund interventions and to the glory of God, and the right leadership of our great university, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Musa Tukur Yakasai, we don’t have problems with the interventions.

“Under physical allocation in 2022 intervention, we constructed a perimetre wall fence in the university to ensure protection of lives and property. Still in 2022, the university will supply, test, install and commission a 500KVA solar power system.

“Now, you will notice that we don’t have interventions for the year 2021, and I have not shown you that of 2023. I will explain why that is so. It does not mean that the university has not enjoyed interventions in preceding years.

“The reason for the alternate system is the standard of TETFund interventions to state-own institutions. Where there are two institutions owned by a state government, the intervention shall come in alternate. As you know, we have two state universities presently. So, if you don’t see the Fund’s intervention this year, that means the approval has gone to our sister university.”

Sabo added that before the 2022 intervention, the university secured interventions for library, staff training, conferences, maintenance, entrepreneurship and ICT.

“But as the director in charge of physical planning and development, I will focus on the area of infrastructure.

“For instance, we received 2020 intervention running into over N788,831,346.00 and that covered 11 lines of interventions. As director physical planning, my department handled two lines of interventions – the physical Infrastructure/ Programme Upgrade with allocation of N278,000,000.00 and Zonal Intervention which intervention stood at N200,831,346.00.

“Under this line of intervention and allocation, we constructed a 1,000 seater multipurpose hall as well as installation of furniture and equipment. We equally had intervention and allocation for renovation of the Central Advance Research Laboratory,” he added.

Speaking on the innovations introduced by Echono to enhance effectiveness and efficiency in TETFund guidelines, Sabo stressed that the university has never had it so good.

“TETFund intervention under Arc. Sonny Echono has improved tremendously. If you look inward in the line of interventions, you will notice Echono’s impact on ICT development through improved funding.

“Beyond the normal line of intervention on ICT, Echono introduced zonal intervention and a dedicated line on ICT, especially in the 2022 intervention. This particular gesture has promoted infrastructural growth in ICT software and hardware as well as fostered the frontier of intellectualism,” Sabo said.