The board of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) has spent N2.6 billion on the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) perimeter fencing and security gadgets. The University was attacked severally by Boko Haram terrorists, killing Prof. Aliyu Mani and three others at the varsity mosque in 2017. The fencing of varsity; was to beef up security within and around the campus, comprising hostels and lecture halls.
TETFUND’s board Chairman, Kashim Imam disclosed this at the weekend, while inspecting completed projects at UNIMAID and the Yobe State University (YOSU), Damaturu. He charged security agencies to live up to their responsibilities by protecting people’s lives and property in tertiary institutions in the country. His words: “In 2019, the sum of 2.6 billion was earmarked by TETFUND for the perimeter fencing and security gadgets for UNIMAID.
“The installed security gadgets also have a control centre where you can view the whole perimeter fence,” noting that the gadgets cover the entire University campus.”He added that in the 2021 Fund’s budget, over N20 billion has been approved for various intervention projects in Borno and Yobe states. While lamenting incessant attacks and kidnappings, he said: “Our people, particularly the students have suffered from the over a decade long insurgency that claimed many lives.”
He said that over 10,000 TETFUND intervention projects are at different stages of completion across the country. He noted that many projects have been completed and are being utilized by the targeted tertiary institutions. Besides, he added that out of N300 billion in TETFUND’s coffers for 2021, N150 billion has been earmarked for grants to Federal and State Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education across the country.
On how to access TETFUND, he said: “50% of our budget in TETFUND is set aside for direct disbursement as statutory grant, without being applied for. “We will write each qualified institutions to tell them of the amount of money they have with us and ask them what they intend to do with the money. “For 2021, we have approximately N150 billion as statutory grant and we have written to the benefiting institutions.
“It’s going to be shared in the ratio of 2:1:1 in favour of the benefiting Universities.
“All Federal Universities are qualified, a State-owned University, a Polytechnic and College of Education in each state of the federation.” Imam who had severally contested for Governorship elections in Borno State expressed dissatisfaction over the continued poor ranking of Nigeria Universities. He noted that the board is convening a national meeting with relevant stakeholders in March with a view to addressing the problem.
“We are inviting Vice Chancellors of Federal and State Universities to a two-day summit in March,” he said, adding that the summit is to address the issue of Nigeria’s global universities rankings.
