By Ngozi Nwankwo
Governor of Jigawa state, Malam Umar Namadi has pleaded for more support from the TETFund to improve education sector in the state.
While saying that TETFund has contributed over 60 per cent of the development in public tertiary institutions in the state, Namadi pleaded that more support saying that though the Jigawa State government is committed to developing the sector, it was handicapped due to its low Internally Generated Revenue, IGR.
The governor said this during his courtesy visit to the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arch. Sonny Echono in Abuja Thursday.
“We need the interventions to continue as they are because TETFund is the backbone of the institutions. Jigawa has little resources. Our IGR is small. We need to develop our education sector and the government is committed. That’s why we are here to ask for help. Please consider giving intervention to other institutions as you are doing to state universities.
“Jigawa is one of our frontiers when we talk about emerging technologies. It is a state of peace, with very harmonious, very hospitable people.
“I recall when the federal government in recognition of this,decided to establish the federal university of science and technology. I had a privilege of leading a team there. I want to assure you that TETFund will continue to support your efforts at developing the educational system in Jigawa
“We will ensure that Jigawa gets its fair share of the resources in TETFund.
“We are also going to address the aftermath of flood that happened last year or two years ago where some of the infrastructure were affected. We’re going to be looking at that and also the issue of security infrastructure. It’s another area we are looking at to support Jigawa State, in addition to your normal entitlement as provided in the law.
He however, extolled TETund for its numerous interventions in the state, noting that the tertiary institutions in the state have seen tremendous growth and development in both infrastructural and human resources through its interventions.
Reacting, the Executive Secretary of TETFund reiterated Fund’s readiness to continue to support the state’s effort in education development especially in the area of flood intervention and security.
“Jigawa state is one of the pacesetters in emerging technology that is the reason the federal government has established university of science and technology in the state,” said Echono.
The Executive Secretary commended the state for its interest in human capital development and promised that the state will get its full share of TETFund interventions, recalling that last year, TETFund released N3 billion special intervention to the Federal University of Science and Technology in the state.
