Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti
The National Association of University Students (NAUS), has appealed to the federal government to probe the disbursement of N208 billion Tertiary Education Trust fund (TETfund) allegedly earmarked to execute special projects in public universities across the country in 2019.
The students’ body said it would be appropriate to ask the Executive Secretary of TETfund, Prof. Suleiman Bogoro to explain how the universities had utilised the funds in line with zero tolerance for sleaze and corruption by President Muhammadu Buhari’s government.
NAUS, in a statement issued yesterday in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, by its National Vice President, South-west, David Aridiogo, stressed the need for an investigation into how the fund was utilised.
The NAUS leader said the probe became necessary following disquiet in virtually all the public universities over lack of basic facilities despite the colossal amount earmarked as intervention fund by the federal government .
“Nigeria’s university students see Tetfund as an agency that has critical roles to play in the education sector, but with the manner it was being run, attaining the FG’s projection for provision of facilities in the universities and other public institions will be a mirage.
“Nigeria’s university students , at home and Diaspora express serious concern over how N208 billion approved by the federal government as 2019 intervention funds for public higher institutions across the country was being managed by universities’ managements.
“We use this medium to call the attention of the executive Secretary of Tetfund, Prof Suleiman Bogoro to explain how the projects for 2019 is being executed and delivered by the managements as the committee set up by him has submitted reports.
“The direct disbursement shows that each university will receive N826.6 million and we have 43 federal universities and 48 state universities in Nigeria. This was besides the special intervention funds for six universities across the geo-political zones, which amounted to N1billion each.
“This was made public by the executive secretary, Prof Bogoro on July12, 2019 at the annual meeting with heads of Tetfund beneficiary institutions in Nigeria.
“NAUS finds it expedient to demand for explanation from Tetfund over the alarming rate of infrastructural decay in public universities in Nigeria, despite the huge funding by the federal government”.
NAUS alleged that the infrastructural gap had caused hike in school fees in public universities in the country as the universities alleged poor funding by TETfund.
