BY BENJAMIN WAJAL
President Muhammadu Buhari recently approved the disbursement of N320bn for TETFUND in the bid to intervene in the gross inadequacy of infrastructure on public tertiary institutions across the country
The breakdown of the disbursement indicated that each university, polytechnic and college of education will receive N1,154,732,133, N699,344,867, and N800,862,602 respectively.
The TETFUND executive secretary Sonny Echono has applauded the growth of TETFUND disbursement in the Buhari administration compared to previous administrations since Democracy. He stated, “Between 2015 to date (eight years), the total sum of N1.702 trillion has been disbursed as education tax collection to public universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education compared to a total sum of N1.249 trillion disbursed from the inception of the fund in 1993 up to 2014 (21 years).”
The University of Jos, rated as a globally competitive university by TETFUND has rejoiced over the news, as it has been a beneficiary and has wholly maximized TETFUND funds under the immediate-past vice Chancellor Prof. Seddi Sebastian Maimako and will in no doubt continue in this line under the present Vice Chancellor, prof. Tanko Ishaya. University of Jos under the Administration of Professor Seddi Sebastian Maimako had witnessed a sharp transformation in its infrastructure making it stand in a better position to be ranked as a top Nigerian University. The University Students have shown their anxiety and excitement over the newly approved funds and hope that the current Vice Chancellor Prof. Tanko Ishaya will channel the energy to the right places of need.
Ene Emah, a 300lv student of the Department of Mass Communication expressed her excitement over the disbursement of the funds. She stated, “The disbursement of these funds will mean better learning conditions for students. We won’t have to seat by windows to receive lectures anymore and our lecturer will lecture in safer environment.”
She also went on to say, “The funds can also be channeled into building recreational centers. Though the primary aim of being in school is to learn learning must not necessarily be in a classroom, there are people with talents for singing, dancing, and so on. So I think the money can help in a lot of ways.”
The university believes it has achieved a lot through the help of TETFUND in the past couple of years. Some of these are the 500 Seating Capacity Auditorium for the Faculty of Management Sciences, the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), Professor Suleiman Elias Bogoro Academic Loop, the access road to the Faculty of Engineering, the road leading to the new Faculties of Veterinary Medicine, Natural Sciences and Agricultural Sciences. Also commissioned were the Faculty of Natural Sciences Phase 1 comprising a block of classrooms, laboratories, and a block of offices for three departments and the list goes on.
The University of Jos students have expressed satisfaction with the previous TETFUND projects which have helped in their academic journey and hope that the newly approved funds will fund bigger projects.
Photo Credit: Iyamah Emmanuel
