Buhari commissions TETFund projects in Kaduna

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Buhari commissions TETFund projects in Kaduna

President Muhammadu Buhari has commissioned Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) sponsored projects in 4 tertiary institutions in Kaduna, insisting that the Federal Government is committed to the development of technical education in Nigeria.

The President who was represented by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Defence, Senator Aliyu Wamakko, commissioned the iconic projects on Tuesday at the Nigerian Defence Academy( NDA), the Airforce Institute of Technology (AFIT),the Kaduna Polytechnic and the Kaduna State University.

Senator Wamakko who expressed delight at the commissioning of the projects,expressed profound appreciation to President Muhammadu Buhari for the opportunity to represent him and perform the inauguration of the iconic projects on his behalf.

“It is important to also commend and appreciate the President for his unwavering support to the development of the education sector, and particularly in this case, TETFund.You would agree with me that his support for the intervention activities of TETFund has in no small measure contributed to the

success stories of the Fund and its beneficiary institutions have continued to record,” he said.

He commended heads of the institutions , management, staff and students for the developmental strides at the institutions.

“I aiso wish to congratulate and commend the Executive Soeretary of TETfund, Arc. Sonny S.T, Echono and his team for their eflort in effectively discharging the mandate of the Fund for the continuous development of public tertiary education in Nigeria,”

He said eeducation plays a critical role in the socio-economic development of nations and therefore, the commissioning of these projects at the Institutions would in no small measure further enhance teaching and learning and improvement of academic standards.

“I wish to reiterate that education forms an integral part of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration’s agenda, hence the Federal Government would continue to provide necessary support towards making our educational institutions globally competitive for economic and technological development of the country.”

“It is on record that through the support of the Federal Government, TETFund has performed exceptionally in the provision of physical infrastructure, support for academic staff training and development, book publication, 1CT, Rescarch and Development amongst others in public tertiary educational institutions across the country,” he said.

He noted with delight that public tertiary educational institutions in Kaduna State have not been exempted from these intervention efforts of TETFund,.

The President however, admonished the institutions to take full advantage of the facilities and make good use of them for the educational and vocational development of the students.

“Education plays a critical role in the socio-economic development of nations.The projects would in no small measure further enhance teaching and learning and raise academic standards in the academy.Education remains an integral part of the administration’s agenda.”

“It is on record that through the support of the Federal Government, TETFund has performed exceptionally in the provision of physical infrastructure, support for academic staff training and development.”They have also done so well in book publications, ICT, research and development amongst others in public tertiary educational institutions across the country,” he said.

During the commissioning of projects at the Nigerian Defence Academy ( NDA), the Commandant, Maj.-Gen. Ibrahim Yusuf, said

the projects included a CBT Hall, Faculty of Management and Military Science buildings.

“The institution received over N8.2 billion support from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) in the last seven years.About N6 billion of the money went into infrastructural development while N2.2 billion was spent on training, research and publication, library and ICT, among others,” he said.

“The Federal Government had also invested in manpower development of cadets, which by implication goes to the development of the entire Armed Forces of Nigeria.The NDA currently has 9 ongoing TETFUND projects from the merged funds for 2019 to 2022 interventions.This include 800 rooms accommodation for cadets, which would be ready in 30 days.”

While thanking President Buharii for government’s investment in the NDA and TETFund for continued support, the Commandant said other projects in the NDA included the furnishing of the hostel, supply of equipments for the Faculty of Engineering and e-learning,.the construction of psychology and supply and chain management departments.”

The Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arch.Sonny Echono, who was represented by the TETFund Director of M&E, Dr.Olajide said “it is our commitment at TETFund to ensure that value is obtained for funds allocated to the benefitting institutions to aid teaching, learning and research and by implication, make them globally competitive.”

“The event marked the start of a major TETFund activity in 2023…162 iconic TETFund projects would be inaugurated in 54 tertiary institutions spread across 28 states…The financing of the projects by TETFund is a clear demonstration of the Federal Government’s commitment to the provision of requisite physical infrastructure in the nation’s public tertiary institutions.”

He admonished the institutions to ensure proper maintenance of the structures to avoid early dilapidation in view of limited resources to reconstruct new ones,and reassured them of TETFund’s continued intervention and support.

Some TETFund projects were also inaugurated at the Air Force Institute of Technology, Kaduna State University and Kaduna Polytechnic.

The three inaugurated projects at the NDA executed at the cost of N679 million fell under the categories of the Annual and Zonal interventions of TETFund.

The projects commissioned at NDA included a Computer Based Test hall (CBT Hall), Faculty of Management and Military Science buildings.

At AFIT, Department of Cyber Security, Student Hostel of the 2020 Zonal Intervention and Students Hostel of the 2021 Zonal Intervention were commissioned.