Fred Ezeh, Abuja
University of Maiduguri, Borno State, has taken delivery of a newly built ultra modern Senate building, built with the financial support from Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).
Other newly built projects in the school are the Centre for Instructional Technology; Veterinary Teaching Hospital Complex; and 2,200 Seat Capacity Mega Lecture Halls Complex.
The new structures, as expected, would enhance the academic and administrative activities of the university.
TETFund in a statement by the Director, Corporate Affairs and Public Relations, Ebikwo Ben, indicated that the new Senate building named after President Muhammadu Buhari and other projects were commissioned by its Executive Secretary, Dr. Abdullahi Bichi Baffa.
He was happy that the institution has been able to access and judiciously used N11 billion out of N12 billion allocated to it through different interventions since 1999.
He informed the university community of recent approval by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for TETFund establish a regional research centre in University of Maiduguri that would enhance knowledge needed to counter violent extremism in Nigeria.
Chairman, House Committee on Tertiary Education, Aminu Suleiman Goro, who accompanied the TETFund boss to the event promised to support the clamour for upward review of education tax accruals to TETFund because of its great impact on education development in Nigeria.
He said: “I have had the privilege of visiting, inspecting and commissioning public buildings in the past. Sentiment or bias apart, I believe the clamour for upward review of education tax accruals to TETFund was a justified one.
“We have debated that for the past two years but huge resistance always arise from other sectors demanding that we should not increase provision for TETFund. But we would reconsider that very soon.”
Meanwhile, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Maiduguri , Prof. Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi, thanked TETFund for financial and logistic support received thus far, which had greatly helped in the completion of several projects in the school.
“It is a clear testimony of the confidence in the council and management of the University as well as the commitment to the realization of government vision for tertiary education,” he said.