TETFund boss challenges varsities on national development

THE executive secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Professor Suleiman Bogoro, has challenged Nigerian universities to take the lead in national development efforts.

He spoke in Abuja at the second International Conference of Social Sciences (ICOSS), National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).

While lamenting that brain drain had negatively affected the development of the country, Bogoro urged Nigerians to stop the massive exodus and admiration of other countries when the country has all it takes to address its challenges.

He said there were no greener pastures across the border for anyone whose country is not properly positioned in terms of development.

Speaking on the theme ‘African and Its Diaspora: Opportunity, Challenges and the Family’, Bogoro said universities as learning institutions which deal with lives of the youths have a lot to do to effect changes in the society.

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“We cannot continue to admire other nations. If we love our country, there are many things we can do to turn around the country for good,” he said.

He added that the University of Abuja and Open University of Nigeria, Abuja would be given special allocations.

The vice chancellor of NOUN, Professor Abdalla Uba Adamu, in his welcome address said the conference was on practical applicability of Africans in diaspora’s potential, remittances, skills and brains for the development of their home countries – socially, economically, politically, morally, and culturally.

Meanwhile, president, Morgan State University, Baltimore, United States of America, David Wilson, in his keynote address called on Africans to unite and reclaim all the continent has lost.