Lawmakers Calls for Probe of Tetfund Projects Nationwide

The House of Representatives has resolved to investigate the standard and quality of completed and ongoing projects executed by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) in tertiary Institutions across the country to ensure value for money.

In its resolution following a motion sponsored by Aderemi Oseni (APC, Oyo), the House asked the Federal Ministries of Education and Finance, the National Universities Commission, TETFund and development partners to work out modalities to refurbish the First-Generation Universities to restore the glory and quality of the universities.

Leading the debate on the motion, Oseni recalled that First-Generation Federal Universities in Nigeria in the early 60s exuded glory, glamour, quality and class from inception, and were also the pride of the nation in those days, adding that the standard and quality of these first-generation universities, in terms of quality of teachers, students and infrastructure attracted them to foreign students and international recognitions across the world.

He expressed concern that these first-generation universities, which includes the University of Ibadan, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, among others, have lost the glory they exuded in the 60s due to years of neglect and unintended abandonment of infrastructure and facilities in the universities.

He alleged that these years of neglect has resulted in decay and dilapidated infrastructure of the institutions’ lecture halls, hostels, auditoriums, among others.

The beautiful zoos in the universities that attracted tourists from far and near are either empty or non-existent, the lawmaker asserted.

He said Tertiary Education Trust (TETFund) intervention projects initiated to ameliorate the infrastructure gap in the universities have executed a number of projects in selected universities, which are of poor quality, with newly completed works deteriorating faster than projects built over 60 years ago.

He said there was the need for the Federal Government to refurbish the First-Generation Universities to return to them to their former the glory and investigate the quality of works executed by TETFund to justify value for monies spent on the projects.