The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) says it has invested more than N30 billion to strengthen security in tertiary institutions across Nigeria between January till date.
The chairperson, Board of Trustees (BoT), TETFund, Aminu Masari, made the disclosure in a statement in Katsina, Katsina State, on Tuesday.
|
|
Mr Masari, who was once the governor of Katsina State, said that the investment had significantly improved safety for students, lecturers, and other campus residents.
According to him, the security intervention aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to creating a safe and conducive learning environment in the country’s higher institutions.
|
|
|
|---|
“Just as we created a budget line for electricity, we also deemed it fit to establish a dedicated line for security. Students and academic staffers need a safe environment to carry out their activities,” he said.
He noted that many institutions had applied for intervention to install solar-powered streetlights, perimeter fencing, and other safety-enhancing projects.
He commended the Nigerian president for his continued support to TETFund, citing the president’s approval of a 50 per cent Development Levy under the 2024 Nigerian Tax Bill.
“The development levy is set to take effect in January, and this will further boost the Fund’s capacity to deliver interventions,” he said.
The TETFund BoT chairman explained that a recent town hall meeting was designed to update stakeholders on ongoing interventions and receive feedback to improve TETFund’s operations.
According to him, this platform brings all policy makers in tertiary education under one roof, lawmakers, ASUU, vice chancellors, students, and others.
READ ALSO: TETFund got N1.024 trillion from extractive sector in five years – NEITI
“We share ideas, receive suggestions, and work toward a more inclusive TETFund that makes policies which reflect the various interests within the tertiary education sub-sector,” he said.
He added that the forum also serves as a space to address pressing issues in the sector, with the goal of positioning Nigeria’s tertiary institutions to compete globally in research, manpower development, and infrastructure.
Terrorist attacks have escalated in different parts of the country in the last few years, with recent weeks seeing a wave of kidnappings in secondary schools, worship centres and farmlands.
(NAN)
