New dawn for TETFund as FG inaugurates board of trustees
After a prolonged period of over a year, the Federal Government finally inaugurated the Board of Trustees for the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund). This development no doubt, marked a significant milestone in the Fund’s operations.
At a well-attended ceremony held at the Fund’s Headquarters in Abuja, the Board was inaugurated by the Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman before the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono and the President, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Professor Emmanuel Osodeke.
The new Board is chaired by ex-Kastina State Governor, Aminu Masari with Senator Sani Danladi, Sunday Adepoju, Nurudeen Adeyemi, Esther Ukachukwu, Turaki Ibrahim and Aboh Eduyok as members.
As enshrined in the Act establishing TETFund, the Board is expected to monitor and ensure collection of Education Tax by the Federal Inland Revenue Service and ensure transfer of same to the Fund; manage and disburse the tax imposed by the Act; liaise with the appropriate ministries or bodies responsible for collection or safe keeping of the tax; receive requests and approve projects after due consideration.
It is also expected to ensure disbursement of funds to various public tertiary educational institutions in Nigeria; monitor and evaluate execution of projects; invest funds in appropriate and safe securities; update the federal government on its activities and progress through annual and audited reports.
Other responsibilities include, review of progress and suggests improvement within the provisions of the Act; make and issue guidelines from time to time to all beneficiaries on disbursement from the Fund on the use of monies received from the Fund as well as regulate the administration, application and disbursement of monies from the Fund.
Inaugurating the new Board of Trustees as well as the governing councils of some federal tertiary institutions, the Minister of Education tasked them to utilise their knowledge and capabilities to drive meaningful reforms and improvements in the education sector.
Prof. Mamman challenged the new appointees to leverage their professional networks to draw in essential resources and support for the institutions, underscoring the government’s reliance on them to help overcome the significant challenges confronting the tertiary education sector.
“Your appointment is a clear recognition of your track records, established integrity and experience. These appointments reflect the diversity of our nation, professions, expertise and experience in various areas.
“I want to thank you for accepting this invitation to join in the task of advancing our tertiary institutions so they can fulfill their commitment to quality teaching, learning, research, and service to our communities and our nation.
“I urge you all to reciprocate the trust and confidence the government has placed in you by using your knowledge, skills and experience to elevate the tertiary institutions to greater heights,” he said.
On his part, the President of ASUU, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, lavished praise on the Executive Secretary of TETFund and his management team, acknowledging that the Fund has been the backbone of Nigeria’s tertiary education system and providing crucial support that has kept it afloat.
The Don explained that by working together and following due process, the Board and Councils would be able to act effectively and avoid problems, even as he called for judicious use of TETFund funds to foster development.
“I also want to emphasize that the only thing still keeping us afloat as a university system is TETFund, which is a product of our struggle. So, my advice is to use this money wisely for the benefit of future generations. Properly managed TETFund resources can address many problems”, he said.
Also, the Executive Secretary of the Fund, Sonny Echono, congratulated the board and governing councils for their determinations to serve in various capacities.
“I have no doubt that you will work diligently to justify the confidence placed in you by Mr. President. The education sector is critical to our national affairs.
“It is the foundation for all our development efforts and Nigeria with its rapidly growing youthful population, needs to prepare our young people to seize opportunities both domestically and internationally while helping to address our national challenges”, Echono said.
Meanwhile, TETFund on Tuesday, organised a one-day sensitisation workshop for education correspondents. The programme aimed at bridging the information gap and equipping journalists with a deeper understanding of the Fund’s programmes and activities.
Echono in his opening remarks said the training was aimed at enhancing journalists’ understanding of the Fund’s activities and goals. He commended journalists for their valuable collaboration and thorough reporting of the agency’s initiatives, recognizing them as essential partners in effectively communicating the Fund’s operations to the public.
Representatives of key departments within TETFund, including Research and Development, Strategic Planning, Academic Staff Training, ICT, Physical Infrastructure, Education Support Services and Monitoring and Evaluation, delivered presentations that highlighted their distinct roles and contributions to fulfilling the agency’s objectives.
Earlier, the Chairman, Education Correspondents Association of Nigeria (ECAN), Chucks Ukwuatu, expressed gratitude to Echono and his management for the training workshop. He underscored the importance of training in enhancing skills and motivation, adding that the workshop will improve reportage of TETFund’s operations with informed details.
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