President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has commissioned six educational projects at 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
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 yesterday, 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.
Tinubu said education plays a critical role in the socio-economic development of nations, adding that the commissioning of the projects would in no small measure further enhance teaching and learning and improve academic standards.
“I wish to reiterate that education forms an integral part of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, hence the federal government will continue to provide necessary support towards making our educational institutions globally competitive for economic and technological development of the country.
“It is on record that over the years, TETFund through the support of the federal government has performed exceptionally in the provision of physical infrastructure, support for academic staff training and development, book publication, ICT, research and development among others in public tertiary educational institutions across the country. I wish to assure you that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains totally committed towards providing greater support and the enabling environment to enable the Fund to improve on its performance,” the minister said.
Executive Secretary of TETFund, Architect Sonny Ochono, represented by the director, research and development of Tetfund, Dr. Salihu Girei Bakari, urged the institutions’ management to ensure proper usage and maintenance of the buildings to serve generations coming to acquire learning in the institutions.
“The federal government is committed to providing a conducive learning environment that would enable our students and future leaders to excel among their contemporaries around the world.
“This is a demonstration to the government’s government to ensure that our institutions attain high global ranking and become more competitive in their mandate. We are delighted to use the occasion of those commissioning of projects to showcase the achievements of this government in the tertiary education sub-sector, considering the amount of funds released for the provision of needed infrastructure through the Fund.
“Regardless of the economic challenges in the nation, the Fund is not deterred. We remain focused on the delivery of our mandate and supporting excellence and innovations at our institutions of learning,” Ochono said.
