…restates commitment of Senate to make laws to address state of Nigerian schools
By Uthman Salami
The Chairman, Senate committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND, Senator Ahmad Babba Kaita has commended Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) officials in their quest to revamp Nigerian tertiary institutions to global standard.
He also expressed the determination to improve the deplorable state of most public institutions across the country.
According to him, “The Senate Committee is determined to provide high impact legislations to improve on deplorable infrastructure for better teaching, conducive and favourable learning conditions in our tertiary institutions in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Education, National Universities Commission, TETFUND, NBTE, NCCE and collaborative partnership with similar institutions within the Education sector.
Senator Kaita, who was ably represented by the Clerk to the Committee, Dr. Mustapha Bintube, said TETFFUND projects were designed to have huge return on investment so as to “ensure sustainable financing of infrastructure of Tertiary Institutions across the length and breadth of the country.”
He stated this at the recently concluded 3rd Edition of Taxpayers Forum organized by TETFUND held in Lagos during the weekend.
He said the Forum was a commendable one as it provided higher level of interactions, thereby serving as “pedestal for elaborate deliberation on the state of infrastructure to support Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria.”
He added that the platform was able to “showcase completed and ongoing gigantic projects executed so far and as well accounts for tax collection, remittance and its utilization to improve infrastructural development of Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria.”
Kaita charged the organizers to ensure that such event “should be organized from time-to-time as it has the potency of enhancing investors’ confidence, build trust, ensures transparency and it guarantees accountability of the remittances made to enable resource utilization ensuring revamping of Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria.”
He further revealed that “The Committee has acknowledged the unrelenting efforts of the TETFUND officials, consultants and other professionals alike in making the 3rd Edition Taxpayers Forum a reality.
The senator, however, commended officials for their “perseverance and commitment of both the taxpayers, TETFUND Managers and Tax collection agencies such as the FIRS for sustained working relationship with the education sector and urge all to maintain the tempo.
“Also, worthy of commendation is the technical dexterity demonstrated by the top echelon of the TETUND and the board of trustees for working round the clock tirelessly to ensure execution of numerous projects in Nigerian Tertiary Institutions in the country.
“This is one thing that the Committee works towards and we hope to see the transformation of all development fundamentals in education to make it reliable and sustainable to support and actualize the hope of all.”