The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has inaugurated an independent committee to undertake a nationwide assessment of projects funded by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) across Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.
The association said the initiative was informed by concerns over the execution, completion and overall impact of TETFund-sponsored projects in universities, polytechnics and colleges of education throughout the country.
In a statement issued on Sunday, NANS announced the establishment of the Independent TETFund Intervention Project Assessment, Verification and Monitoring Committee, which has been tasked with conducting a comprehensive review of ongoing and completed projects financed by the intervention agency.
According to the student body, the committee will evaluate the level of project implementation, verify compliance with approved standards and assess the contributions of the projects to teaching, learning, research and institutional development.
The assessment exercise will cover tertiary institutions across the six geopolitical zones, with committee members expected to engage students, institutional administrators, contractors and other relevant stakeholders to obtain firsthand information on project delivery and impact.
NANS disclosed that the committee has been given a 90-day mandate to complete its assignment and submit a detailed report containing its findings, observations and recommendations.
The association stated that the report would serve as a guide for its future interventions and advocacy efforts in the education sector. It added that the outcome of the exercise would also be forwarded to key government authorities, including the Presidency and the Federal Ministry of Education.
According to NANS, the initiative is aimed at promoting transparency, accountability and the effective utilization of public resources dedicated to the development of tertiary education in Nigeria.
“The report shall guide the leadership of NANS on the next line of action towards establishing the true state of TETFund intervention impacts on Nigeria’s tertiary education sector,” the statement noted.
The committee is chaired by Comrade Salahudeen A. Lukman, while Comrade Okereke Godson Bishop, Dominic Philip AVM, Odiahi Thomas Ikhine, Wande T. Ajayi and Ibrahim A. Ibrahim will serve as members. Gambo Abubakar has been appointed secretary of the committee.
National President of NANS, Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, said the exercise aligns with the association’s commitment to strengthening accountability and ensuring that intervention funds achieve their intended objectives.
He called on tertiary institution administrators, student leaders, TETFund officials, contractors and other stakeholders to cooperate fully with the committee to guarantee a credible, transparent and objective assessment process.
The development comes amid increasing calls for greater transparency and accountability in the management of public funds allocated for infrastructure development and the improvement of educational standards in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.
