By steve anyebe.
The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on verification of Tertiary Education Trust Fund(TETFUND) projects in Nigeria, on Saturday 12th August 2023, accepted the presentation by the Vice Chancellor of Federal University of Health Sciences Otukpo, Prof Innocent AO Ujah, mni, OON, NPOM, as a working document for the Committee and also observed a minute silence in memory of late Rt Hon Engr Solomon Umoru Agidani whose burial coincided with the exercise in Benue State.
The Committee was in Benue State on a one-day investigative hearing and inspection of all physical infrastructural projects funded by TETFUND since 2011 in beneficiary tertiary educational institutions comprising Joseph Saruwan Tarka Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi, Benue State University, Federal University of Health Sciences Otukpo, Benue State Polytechnic Ugbokolo, Federal Polytechnic Wanune, Colleges of Education at Katsina Ala and Oju, as well as Federal College of Education Odugbo.
Prof Innocent Ujah made a superlative presentation, which was roundly commended, providing straight answers to inquiries such as total funds received from TETFUND; details of projects that the fund was attached to; present status of projects; list of contractors and their projects; procurement records of all projects, etc.
While making his presentation, the FUHSO Vice Chancellor informed the Ad-hoc Committee that he was supposed to be at the burial of late former House of Representatives Member, Rt Hon Solomon Agidani, but had to show his high respect for the Committee by first attending to their invitation. The Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee, Hon Oluwole Oke, represented by Hon. Unyime Idem thanked Professor Ujah and moved a motion for a minute silence to be observed in honour of late Rt Hon Solomon Agidani. A second motion was thereafter adopted releasing the Vice Chancellor to proceed for the burial.
Tension had been high in and around tertiary institutions in Benue State as the social media had been awash with news of an impending probe, most particularly, of the Federal University of Health Sciences Otukpo and the Federal Polytechnic Wanune, whose Heads seem to have become targets of unwarranted acts of calumny.
Operanews had published a seemingly damaging report alleging the theft of over nine billion Naira TETFUND funds meant for projects. The online media was categorical that their findings revealed that the FUHSO Vice Chancellor and Wanune Rector had multiple petitions on their necks centering around diversion of TETFUND funds into private use. “The Federal government has released so much money through TETFUND yet no single building to show for all the investments in some of these institutions. This is inexcusable”, Operanews stated.
Contrary to the Operanews widely publicised news items, Chairman of the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee, Hon Oluwole Oke, represented by Unyime Idem told TETFUND beneficiary institutions in Benue State that they were carrying out statutory oversight functions to ascertain that value is appropriately derived from the money alloted through TETFUND. He said the claim by TETFUND, that it had disbursed over two trillion Naira for capital tertiary educational projects since 2011, has to be verified through a Value-for-Money Audit involving physical inspection and verification of all projects funded through TETFUND, inclusive of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) interventions and scholarship for academic staff.
Reacting to the presentations by the heads of tertiary institutions in Benue State, a member of the Ad-hoc Committee, Hon Philip Agbese, who represents the Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency in the green chamber, heaped praises on the Vice Chancellors, Rectors, and Provosts of the Benue State educational institutions, expressing pride in their articulation and comportment. He advised them to keep up their good works.
FUHSO Vice Chancellor, Prof Innocent Ujah, while answering questions from the Ad-hoc Committee members, reeled out physical TETFUND funded projects at the first ever Medical University established by the Federal Government to include: the beautiful Otada take-off Campus; the exquisite GRA Campus in Otukpo town; numerous ongoing construction works at the Akwete-Akpa permanent permanent site, such as the Senate Building, College of Medicine Complex, Staff Quarters, perimeter demarcation of the six hundred hectre permanent site land, and many more.
Speaking exclusively to Mustardpoint.com after his presentation, Prof Ujah, a recipient of Nigeria National Productivity Order of Merit (NPOM) & Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) awards, said he has never been afraid of probes and audits, referring to them as necessary tools for performance improvement.
