A princely sum of N2.2 billion Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) grant due Rivers State has remained unaccessed from 2020 to 2024.
Chairman House of Representatives Technical Sub Committee on Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) Hon Miriam Odinaka Onuoha made this known on Thursday when she led other members of the committee on a courtesy visit to Governor Siminalayi Fubara in Government House,Port Harcourt.
Hon Onuoha who said the committee was in the state for oversight on TETFUND projects particularly commended the Rivers State Government for taking advantage of the funds and accessed a large sum, leaving those of 2020 to 2024 amounting to N2.2billion.
She encouraged the State to access the fund to solve prevailing critical problems in the targeted institutions in the state.
Hon Onuoha commended the Governor’s management of the #EndBadGovernance protest, by ensuring that while not denying residents their fundamental rights to peaceful assembly, procession, and freedom of expression, he made sure that they did so in very peaceful manner.
She noted the way and manner he addressed the protesters on the first day of the protest, and the assurances he expressed and the hope he gave which resonated with millions of Nigerians across the country, saying that the Governor’s approach was a clear mark of leadership and service the people so dearly yearn for at this time.
Hon Onuoha also said that the Governor’s leadership style of prioritising peace, security, stability and the welfare of the people has given hope to many who over the years have been alienated from governance, and urged him to continue to put the interest of Rivers people first in his policies, programmes and projects.
The lawmaker rated the State’s tertiary institutions high in general performance index, saying that the committee was satisfied by what it has seen on ground, and the preparedness of the managements of the four institutions to leverage available funding to upscale infrastructure, training opportunities and other facilities.
She explained that there was already N500million unaccessed TETFUND fund by states, arguing that it was imperative for the money to be accessed so that they benefit from the targeted support to tertiary institutions.
Responding, Gov.Fubara, asserted that the State’s four tertiary institutions were top-notch and generally competitive, saying that their performances over the years show that they outclassed their peers anywhere in the country.
Governor Fubara said that available records indicate that the schools have had high rating on performance in all sectors, from infrastructure to manpower, service delivery and students overall output.
He also advised against individual or collective decisions and actions that inadvertently contribute to destroying public institutions, making it almost impossible to correct when the evil caused becomes regrettable.
The Governor cautioned that people who should know better and well exposed to workings of public institutions must not put themselves in such positions to disrespect constituted authority owing to the fact that they disliked the occupant of a particular office.
Governor Fubara insisted: “But it is the mistake that we are making. If you do not respect an authority, you are killing an institution. It is not about the head as at today. But when you set a very wrong precedent, tomorrow, when you try to change it, you pay dearly for it.
“That is why, as a government, our focus is to better the lives of our people to improve on what we have inherited so that whoever is going to come after us will have something to say that this is what we have done.”
The Governor, who noted how funding has remained a big challenge to tertiary institutions, said state universities rely solely on their governments for sustenance, and often get so little financial support.
But he quickly added that the Rivers State Government has invested hugely in its tertiary institutions, and improved their status so that hardly any institution in Nigeria can compete with them.
He said, “If you go to Rivers State University, today, you’ll see the level of development, the standard of structures, and not just structures but also the quality of manpower that we have. It means that education is a priority in our State.
“So, I want to thank you for commending our State because I see that you have already given us a pass mark that we are doing well. I will also ask that you give them all necessary assistance to make sure that we access this fund so that we can apply it for the good of our tertiary institutions.”
Governor Fubara said: “But when it comes to this very special support that is coming for the development of the tertiary institutions, I can say, proudly, that it has really contributed to, and helped in the development of our tertiary institutions.
“I have cases that I can really pinpoint in Rivers State University. In fact, the VC, in one of our discussions, mentioned the support they got, and what they did with the projects and how the projects also lifted the university, helped them in facilitating accreditation because of the level of work they did.
“So, I want to thank you, not just you but the initiators, which is the Federal Government and the support from the National Assembly given to see that these funds are utilized for the good of our higher institutions.”
Read also: Council Boss pledges support for Teachers amid economic challenges
Governor Fubara emphasized that the State Government has invested so much in its tertiary institutions, providing standard infrastructure, and improving the quality of manpower services that have distinguished the institutions among their peers.
He said: “I’m also very happy that in our own State, the heads of these institutions are ensuring that they access the funds. I did hear you clearly, you said in order states, they have cases of having backlogs running into billions of Naira. In these our institutions here, they’re very active and they are doing their best.
“Concerning the unaccessed funds, I believe that when we leave here and following the help that you are willing to render by relaxing those very strenuous and stringent conditions, we are going to access them, and ensure that we put them to good use in our schools in Rivers State.
“I have no doubt about the usefulness of the money because from this spreadsheet that I’m seeing here, the areas of concern are already specified, and it is not something that when you get for physical infrastructure, you now use it for ICT. It is not like that. So, they are defined and the purposes are very clear.”
Governor Fubara urged the heads of the tertiary institutions in the State to work with TETFUND consultants so that they can access the outstanding backlog of funds from 2020 to 2024, and be ready to also access the funds for 2025.
The State Chief Executive also explained that his administration has committed so much resources to improving all educational institutions, particularly the primary schools.
He stressed the rationale :”You know we sent consultant to do a study on our primary and secondary schools, and when the result came, it was not impressive at all.
“The foundational basis of education is the primary schools, and we have neglected it over the years, paying attention only to the higher ones, what people see is collapse of the system. If we don’t have good foundation, how will the beautiful building stand?
“So, our programme from next year, in fact, we have already started it, is to make sure that we build a strong base so that whatever we are going to lay on that base will stand the test of time.”
