TETFUND: Is Echono Working The Talk?

Since the establishment of the foremost Educational Intervention agency in Nigeria, the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) thirteen years ago, there has never been high hopes and expectations from Nigerians across board in the appointment of persons to head the agency like the appointment of Arch. S.T Echono. 

From boardroom directors to captains of industries, to vice Chancellors, Provost, Rectors and critical stakeholders in the education sector, down to fishermen in the creeks of the Niger delta, to the farmers in the Benue Valley up to the Sahel and even cattle rearers in the northern part of the Nigeria, all have continued to express their expectations towards setting an agenda for the Executive Secretary since he assumed office a year and six months ago.

Going by the voices aired by all and sundry, it is a testament to the fact that the agency is indeed at a critical juncture in fulfilling its mandate and requires a man that understands the terrain to bring the needed transformation. 

The establishment of Tetfund was a home grown solution to the myriad of problems affecting the quality of higher education in Nigeria, especially funding, which is a critical enabler of good and standard education system.

TETFund was established as an intervention agency under the TETFund ACT – Tertiary Education Trust Fund (Establishment Act, 2011. The Act repeals the Education Tax Act Cap. E4, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and Education Tax Fund Act No. 17, 2003, which were the enabling legal foundations for ETF (TETFund, 2017).

By the TETFund Act, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) is authorized to collect the 3%Education Tax and remit annually to TETFund for allocation and onward disbursement to the Beneficiary Institutions (BIs) in the country.

The mandate of the Fund as contained in the Fund’s enabling Act is to administer and disburse the 3%education tax to the federal and state tertiary educational institutions for the provision of essential physical infrastructure for teaching and learning, instructional materials and equipment, research and publication,academic staff training and development and any other need, which in the opinion of the Board of Trustees is critical and essential for the improvement of quality and maintenance of standard in the higher educational institutions.

Arch Echono’s tenure as the Executive Secretary has been characterized by a revival of confidence among Nigerians in the funding agency, owing to his innovative and cutting-edge strategies. His wealth of experience in infrastructural development, adept management of public procurement, and fervent pursuit of information technology has instilled a profound sense of accountability in the dispensation of funds, inspiring a renewed sense of trust in the agency’s operations.

From stakeholders to beneficiary institutions, down to students across all the tertiary education spectrum, the story is the same ‘Echono is a result oriented Chief Executive’

Moreso, the credit goes to president Tinubu as well, who believes in the capacity of echono to continue with the far reaching reforms he has brought to the agency at such a critical time in our education sector.

It’s worthy to note that recently in Bauchi state, while Commissioning  six educational projects President Ahmed Tinubu commended the Leadership of Tetfund for its prudence and accountability.

stressing that the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) and Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic (ATAP) all in Bauchi executed by Tertiary Education Fund (TETFund) at a cost of N873.6 million, is an indication of good leadership at the fund.

 Four of the projects are at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) namely; departmental buildings B & C under the 2017 -2020 annual intervention, academic building for school of management technology,  classrooms and laboratories.

 Commissioning the  projects at the two institutions, the president gave Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic (ATAP) projects a 500-seater capacity examination hall and 300-seater examination hall and students hostel.

The president who was represented by the minister of foreign affairs, Amb. Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, said the projects were part of conscious efforts by his administration to address students’ challenges and create industrial harmony between staff unions and the government.

 He said in recognition of the role of TETFund in the development of public tertiary educational institutions in Nigeria, and in a bid to further support and strengthen the intervention activities of the fund, the president also approved the implementation of the upward review of Education Tax (EDT) to 3 percent with effect from September 2023.

Echono, while addressing Heads  of beneficiary institutions at an Interactive  session on the Disbursement Guidelines for Year 2024 Intervention Cycle, which took place at TETFund Auditorium recently, The Executive Secretary stated that frequent interaction with beneficiary heads of institutions is now a veritable forum for performance evaluation and fostering cross fertilization of ideas between the Fund and the institutions it serves.  Adding that it is an opportunity for the fund and the heads of institutions to engage in dialogue, share insights, and foster discussions that seek to enhance the Fund’s intervention programs across its intervention lines.

While reflecting  on the events of the year 2023, Echono affirmed that it is an impactful year that has witnessed series of programs such as the development of the TETFund ICT roadmap culminating in the deployment of the BIMS and launching of the TERAS platforms, the commencement of the designs and strategy for the innovation Hubs to selected beneficiary institutions, and the constitution of the committee for the establishment of two central research laboratories. 

He also hinted that during the year, there were series of engagements such as the One-Day Stakeholder meeting held here in Abuja to address challenges associated with the Academic staff training and development programme. Others were the TETFund Desk Officers’ Workshops that took place across all the zones in the country, capacity building for ICT staff and students, and the interactive engagement with the Unions of beneficiary institutions. 

Maintaining that the series of initiatives and programs were aimed at strengthening the Fund’s intervention programs and to help receive inputs that will guide the disbursement guidelines for the year 2024 intervention.

With all these strategic initiatives and investments, it is safe to state categorically that TETFund under Echono has been instrumental in addressing crucial challenges, promoting research, and driving positive change across Nigerian universities and institutions. 

Indeed Architect Echono is working on the Talk!

– Ahmed Sani A Public Affairs analyst, wrote from Bauchi.