Buhari commends TETFund on massive intervention in tertiary institutions

 

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has expressed satisfaction with the massive intervention by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund in universities and other tertiary institutions across the country.

He described the interventions as the catalyst for achieving the desired knowledge-based economy for Nigeria by the present administration.

The president, who spoke during the 2nd and 3rd Combined Convocation of Federal University, Dutsin-Ma, Katsina State, urged TETFund to continue in its meaningful and purposeful interventions to all public owned tertiary institutions in the country.

Aside from the normal annual interventions from TETFund to the Federal University, Dutsin-Ma, since inception, the university had benefitted to the tune of about N5billion as Special Intervention for take-off grant, prototype hostels, academic buildings among others.

According to him, “I am also happy with the special role of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) in the physical and academic development of this young university.

“It is clear that since the establishment of the Federal University, Dutsin-Ma, the TETFund has remained the single, largest development agent in the institution.

“I urge the TETFund to continue to offer meaningful and purposeful interventions in Nigeria’s higher education institutions to help in realising our government’s desire to create a knowledge based economy in Nigeria”

Speaking further, the president, who was represented by the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abubakar Adamu Rasheed, expressed delight over the completion and commissioning of multi-billion naira physical infrastructure projects sponsored by TETFund at the University.

Reiterating the commitment of his administration to wean the country from over dependence on the oil sector towards achieving sustainable economic prosperity, President Buhari promised that he would continue to fight the challenge of unemployment, particularly graduate unemployment through the creation of a thriving and dynamic labour market that would enable young people to achieve their full potentials as self-employed entrepreneurs and employers of labour rather than merely job seekers.

Also speaking at the event, the Chancellor of the University, His Majesty, King Dandeson Douglas Jaja, and the Ag. Vice Chancellor, Prof. Armaya’u Hamisu Bichi, thanked TETFund for the facilities at the university while urging for more intervention to help the university move to its permanent site soonest.

On his part, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Dr. Abdullahi Bichi Baffa who spoke while commissioning the projects, lauded management of the University for delivering quality works with TETFund interventions and promised that his management will not rest on its oars in pursuing interventions that would meet the desires of the Federal Government under the direction of the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu.

Dr. Baffa, explained that provision of infrastructure for conducive teaching and learning activities were aimed at ensuring that the dream of increased access to quality higher education for all Nigerians by Mallam Adamu Adamu becomes a reality.