Senate To Summon INEC Boss Over N3.02bn TETFund Allocation

Mahmood Yakubu

Senate To Invite INEC Boss over Controversial N3.02bn TETFund Allocation

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund, Senator Jibrin Barau, has stated that the Senate is set to begin an investigation into the N3.02billion reportedly allocated to the Tertiary Education Trust Fund during the tenure of the INEC boss as the agency’s executive secretary.

Naija News learnt that the N3.02billion was released to TETFUND for disbursement to federal higher institutions between 2007 and 2012, when Yakubu was the boss of the agency.

The fund, which was released to Federal Government owned universities, polytechnics and colleges of education, was meant to provide infrastructure, aid research, library development, staff training, publication of journals and to build entrepreneurship centres in the various institutions.

Barau said that the parlous state of infrastructure in most of the institutions and the absence of a conducive working and learning environment for Nigerian students could not justify the huge allocations released by the Federal Government through the agency.

He said, “I have sought for an investigative audit of the contracts awarded by TETFund in the past years. The contracts for projects to enhance quality of teaching, research and infrastructure in tertiary schools were awarded to contractors, some of whom allegedly collected project monies and walked away without executing the contracts.

“Though some of the allegedly fraudulent contractors are yet to be identified, we will dig them out. The deficits in the infrastructural needs of the tertiary institutions were worsened by circumstances of absconding with funds for projects.”

Barau added that a probe of TETFUND had become imperative, given the recent pronouncement of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, on the renewed commitment of the Senate to expose corrupt practices in all facets of the Nigerian society and bring culprits to justice.