President Bola Tinubu on Friday, December 15, inaugurated the Tertiary Education Tax Funds (TETFUND) N1 billion Central Library Complex with a sitting capacity of 2,000 at Bauchi State University, Gadau.
Represented by member House Committee on TETFUND and other services, Hon. Bappa Misau, Tinubu acknowledged TETFUND’s impact on various Bauchi state institutions, emphasising the significant strides made in the Nigerian tertiary education sector.
According to him, apart from the Bauchi State University, Gadau, other public tertiary educational institutions in the state such as Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), and Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic, Federal Polytechnic Bauchi, College of Education Azare, College of Education Kangere have not been exempted from the giant strides recorded in the Nigerian tertiary educational.
He said that TETFund had also sponsored 100 lecturers for Ph.D. in both foreign and local institutions totaling N955 million adding that 143 lecturers were also sponsored for Masters Degrees in both foreign and local institutions totaling N359 million, among others.
Also speaking, the vice-chancellor of the institution, Prof. Fatima Tahir, lauded TETFUND for the ‘milestone’ intervention, adding that the project would help in shaping the future of the institution.
In his remarks, the Executive Secretary of TETFUND, Sonny Echono, highlighted the N17.3 billion allocated for infrastructure-related interventions at the university since 2012.
Represented by the Director of Monitoring and Evaluation, TETFUND, Olajide Babatunde, the Executive Secretary, assured of continued support to enhance global competitiveness.
Echono said: “From 2012 to date, TETFUND has allocated the sum of N17.3 billion for infrastructure-related interventions only, cutting across the Annual, Special High Impact and Zonal interventions, among others.
“With about 97% funds already accessed, we note with delight that these funds are being deployed judiciously in the provision of requisite facilities, which are obviously seen in various locations on the campus here.”
He assured that the Fund would continue to ensure that its interventions were sustained and improved upon to enable government-owned tertiary institutions to undertake impactful projects that would make them become globally competitive.
