May 11, (THEWILL) – President Muhammadu Buhari has commissioned five TETFund sponsored projects at the Benue State University, Makurdi, worth N2,612,410,000.00.
The Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Senator George Akume, who represented President Buhari at the ceremony on Thursday, in Makurdi, noted that the TETFund also sponsored 20,332 lecturers from this university for Ph.D degrees in both foreign and local institutions, totalling N153,521,887,426.41.
According to him, 16,513 went for Masters degrees in both foreign and local institutions, totalling N42,276,142,212.13; 92 for postdocs totalling N951,568,084.80.
“993 for Bench work totalling N5,052,039.48 while 54,229.00 staff have been sponsored to attend Conferences in both foreign and local totalling N23,199,986,710.49”.
He pointed out that other public tertiary educational institutions in Benue State, such as Joseph Sarwuan Tarka university, Makurdi, have not been exempted from TETFund intervention efforts.
In his remarks, the Vice Chancellor of Benue State University, Prof. Joe Tor Iorapuu, acknowledged efforts of past visitors to institution including Revd Fr Moses Orshio Adasu; senator George Akume; Gabriel Suswam and Samuel Ortom for assistance, assisting for the growth and development of the institution.
He said the institution requires expansion and on TETFund to further assist in the expansion programme of the university; commending federal government for greater good of the university.
In his speech, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc Sunny Echono, said federal government has made huge investment in educational sector amounting to N18.3 billion from 2011 to 2021.
Arc. Echono explained that there was equality in the allocation of funds to benefiting institutions across the country.
According to him, Benue State University Makurdi, Federal University of Health Sciences, Benue State Polytechnic Ugbokolo, Colleges Of Education Katsina-Ala and Oju, as well as Federal Polytechnic, Wannune, have been granted various approvals awaiting releases.
The six projects inaugurated include an academic office block; block of offices at College of Health Sciences; Faculty of Education complex and Health and Counselling Development centre and centre for Research and Innovation.
