Provost of the Federal College of Agriculture, Akure (FECA), Ondo State, Dr. Akinyemi Fadiyimu, has described as unfair the exclusion of colleges from benefiting in the Tertiary Education Fund (TETFund).

According to him, the move has negatively impacted the development needed by colleges of education and agriculture to thrive in their mandates.

Fadiyimu, who spoke in Akure, the state capital, expressed dismay that state universities had continued to benefit from TETFund, while deserving colleges were removed.

He said it was unfortunate that the college had not been receiving the needed patronage from both the state and federal governments.

He said: “There are lots of developmental project activities lacking in the institution. There is a dearth of infrastructure. The Federal Government has been shortchanging us since 2010.

“We were removed from benefiting from TETFUND. In 2010, all colleges of education were exempted, but state universities are benefiting from it.

“State governments are not establishing colleges of agriculture because they will not have access to TETFund. We are talking about food security and agricultural development.

“Our graduates are able to ensure we achieve technological advancement. We are critical stakeholders in agricultural development in this country.”

Fadiyimu also decried the alleged continuous attacks and harassment of students and members of staff of the institution by land grabbers.

According to him, three-quarters of the institution’s land would be gone if the court rules in favour of those that instituted legal actions against the institution.

The Provost, who said five different lawsuits had been filed by individuals trying to lay claim to the college’s land, stated that the security risk faced by students due to attacks by land grabbers was causing distraction for the institution.

“Our greatest threat here is the issue of land grabbing. Land grabbers want to forcefully encroach on our land. We are facing five lawsuits from people who are trying to lay claim to this college. On several fronts, different people are laying claim to our land. The issues are so serious.

“If, by chance, we lose those cases, the land available to this college will be reduced by
s.” Only one quarter will be left for us to operate. They come in all the time to attack our members of staff and students. It poses a lot of security risks for us.

“The location of the college is attractive to land speculators. They should leave us alone to develop and be able to serve the society,” he said.