Prof. Chigozie Ogbu, the Vice-Chancellor of Ebonyi State University (EBSU), has hailed Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) as the lifeblood of Nigeria’s universities. Speaking at the official inauguration of several TETFund-sponsored projects at the university in Abakaliki, Mr. Ogbu emphasized the pivotal role of TETFund in advancing higher education in the country.
The projects unveiled encompassed the Faculty of Education building, the University Library, and the Centre for Information Communications Technology (ICT) and Research. The Faculty of Education building, a four-floor edifice, boasts 27 classrooms, 3 major teaching laboratories, 66 offices, a faculty library, and two lecture theatres. Mr. Ogbu also highlighted the features of the University Library, a three-floor structure housing an e-library, faculty sections, binding, references, cataloguing, a bookshop, offices, and a board room. Similarly, the ICT building, a two-floor structure with a 500-seat capacity, houses four ICT halls equipped with 582 desktop computers for computer-based testing (CBT) examinations and training, along with other essential sections.
Sonny Echono, the executive secretary of TETFund, represented by his Special Assistant, Buhari Mikailu, reaffirmed TETFund’s commitment to enhancing infrastructure in universities. Highlighting the substantial investment in Ebonyi State University, Mr. Echono disclosed that the university had received allocations exceeding N10.8 billion for infrastructure-related interventions, including annual, special, Special High Impact, and zonal interventions. Remarkably, 88.24% of these funds have been accessed and deployed to address infrastructural gaps within the university, significantly enhancing its capacity to facilitate teaching, learning, and research.
The impact of these projects on the university’s mandate cannot be overstated, noted Mr. Echono, reflecting on the transformative influence of TETFund’s support on academic and research activities. With TETFund’s steadfast commitment to fortifying higher education institutions across Nigeria, the strategic deployment of funds has ushered in a new era of progress and advancement, propelling universities towards greater academic excellence and research innovation.
As Nigeria’s universities continue to evolve into hubs of knowledge creation and dissemination, TETFund remains an indispensable ally, infusing vitality and resources that are essential for spearheading the nation’s educational renaissance.
