Reps to address challenges in accessing N500bn tertiary institutions’ funds

The House of Representatives Committee on Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and Related Services has pledged to engage with tertiary institutions to address challenges in accessing crucial intervention funds.

The Chairman of the committee, Miriam Onuoha, made the pledge on Thursday when she led the committee’s members on a courtesy visit to the Kaduna State Government House.

Onuoha said that one of the key mandates of the committee was to ensure proper oversight of the tertiary intervention.

She also said the committee would ensure proper account of all the monies that had been disbursed to bridge infrastructure gaps, improve teaching and learning across all tertiary institutions.

Onuoha raised concern on the issue of over N500 billion in unaccessed funds currently held by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), earmarked for the nation’s tertiary institutions.

According to her, the TETFund intervention goes to three major state- owned tertiary institutions in Kaduna State; Kaduna State University; Nuhu Bamali Polytechnic, Zaria; and College of Education, Gidan Waya.

She said that the Kaduna State University has N547 million unaccessed fund, Nuhu Bamali Polytechnic has unaccessed intervention fund standing at N724 million, while College of Education, Gidan Waya has N30 million unaccessed fund.

Onuoha said that the three institutions in Kaduna State have a combined N1.3 billion in unaccessed funds.

She said that stringent conditions have prevented many institutions from accessing these funds.

According to her, the committee plans to conduct a nationwide tour to understand and address the specific barriers the educational institutions are facing.

The chairman assured that the committee was committed to ensuring that these funds were disbursed and utilised effectively.

Onuoha also commended Gov. Uba Sani’s administration for its dedication to education.

She expressed the committee’s readiness to collaborate with local institutions to facilitate the timely release and efficient use of available funds.

Kaduna State Deputy Governor, Dr Hadiza Balarabe, thanked the committee for its efforts to resolve the challenges that impeded higher educational institutions from accessing federal intervention funds.

Balarabe encouraged the Heads of the state’s tertiary institutions to openly share their challenges, particularly those related to fund accessibility, to foster a collaborative approach to finding sustainable solutions.

She also underscored the importance of maintaining consistent standards across all departments and elevating the state’s educational institutions to new heights.

The meeting was attended by leaders from various federal educational institutions in the state. (NAN)