By Ngozi Nwankwo
Executive Secretary of Tertiary Education Trust Fund,TETFund, Arc. Sonny Echono, has said the agency would boost its intervention projects in higher institutions in Plateau in line with the state preeminent status in North-Central zone.
Echono made this known on Wednesday in Abuja during a courtesy visit to TETFund’s headquarter by Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang.
The Executive Secretary, who congratulated Mutfwang on his election’s victory, said the Fund has recorded improvement in the delivery of projects in Plateau State.
“In the last few years, the rate of completion of our projects has increased and improved significantly, and we are poised to make further intervention to ensure that Plateau State giving its preeminent status in the (North-Central) zone will continue to produce the manpower need of our country,” Echono said.
The TETFund boss also revealed that the Fund was putting finishing touches on disbursement of funds for its high impact intervention projects, adding that institutions in Plateau are expected to benefit from the special projects.
” The second component of the intervention – where we address the specific needs of the institutions and also try to deepen the interventions for better impact, those are the ones we are in the process of finalising,” he said.
Earlier, Mutfwang commended TETFund for its various intervention projects in higher education institutions in Plateau.
He said the visit to TETFund was to express gratitude to the Fund and ask for more projects.
“This is the first federal parastatal I will be visiting after been confirmed (by Supreme Court) as governor and I am delighted to once again have the freedom to face the issue of governance headlong.
” I chose to come to TETFund because of the importance of this institution to our educational development. I salute the foresight of those that come up with this institution.
” We have enjoyed tremendous support from TETFund in the past and of course we have learnt that the way of getting more, is to say thank you.
” We appreciate you for the intervention in our institutions particularly the state-owned ones; the Plateau State University, the Plateau State Polytechnic and the Plateau State College of Education in Gindiri and to also thank you for the federal institutions like the University of Jos, the FCE Pankshin and the College of Veterinary Services in Vom, and all and all.”
Speaking further, the governor said : ” I have come to tell you that for TETFund, we particularly in Plateau would have had nothing to show because we met institutions virtually on their knees, we have done a little bit within seven months of our arrival to ensure we secure accreditation for our institutions and boost staff morale and we hope to do more. ”
On the clamour for inclusion of private institutions as beneficiary of TETFund’s intervention project, Mutfwang said : “I know it is still a debate as to the access of private institutions to TETFund intervention that will be an issue for another day because some of these institutions are not really for profit, they are actually quasi private institutions.”
Fielding question from newsmen on his Supreme Court’s victory and the quest by some Nigerians for the review of judgements that sacked some Plateau lawmakers, Mutfwang said a decision would soon be taken on the issue.
” We are particularly grateful for the concerns Nigerians have shown and at the moment there is no clear cut answer to your question, but I can tell you discussion are ongoing, so it is work in progress and when we are done, I am sure Nigeria will get to know the path we have chosen to take, at the end of it, these concerns for justice is well noted and I pray it becomes the value of our national existence, that in every facet of life we insist on justice, fairness and equity, I believe Nigeria will become a great country.”