NDA receives N7.9 billion as grants in 19 years – TETFund

The Tertiary Education Fund (TETFund), says it released N7.9 billion to the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) between 1999 and 2017 as grants.

Abdullahi Baffa, the Executive Secretary of the fund, disclosed this on Monday when the Chief of Army, Tukur Buratai, a lieutenant general, paid him a courtesy visit.

Mr Baffa said that from the amount so far released the NDA had completed “some 36 physical infrastructure projects,’’ while four projects were ongoing.

He added that there were 12 projects that had been approved, however, they were yet to commence in the institution.

The executive secretary also said that other military institutions had benefited from the grants, adding that those physical infrastructure projects were aside scholarships given to lecturers for further studies.

Earlier, Mr Buratai said the army needs to have a unique institution that would serve as a solution centre which informed the establishment of its university at Biu in Borno State.

He said such institution which would serve as solution centre in science and technology to boost capacity and innovation regarding equipment needed by the military, particularly the Nigerian army.

“These days, you cannot just fight in the conventional sense – way, warfare has transformed greatly and requires more scientific approach, more intellectual approach than it used to be in those days.

“We need to have such university that will tailor our needs in a specific innovative, as well as solution centre in science and technology.

“This will go a long way in developing our country, developing the technological and indeed the scientific base of our country by which we will develop and progress in the right direction,’’ he said.

Mr Buratai commended the TETFund, saying that the vision behind its establishment was by no means a great one.

According to him, TETFund has transformed the education landscape of our country.

“Hitherto, we used to have several dilapidated infrastructure, many equipment, training equipment, laboratories and the rest were left unattended to or under equipped.

“But with the establishment of TETFund, a lot of changes have taken place in the universities and Nigeria is moving to greater height in terms of educational attainment and this is made possible by TETFund,’’ he said.

(NAN)