ASUU calls for imprisonment of VCs who misuse TETFUND grant

The President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Prof Emmanuel Osodeke, has called for the imprisonment of any vice-chancellor who misuses the grant given to their institution by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND).

Osodeke said that the Federal Government should establish a panel to investigate the utilization of such funds, noting that several TETFund-funded projects were completed late due to improper management of the funds.

The Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono, had earlier announced that President Muhammadu Buhari had approved N320bn as an intervention fund for public tertiary education institutions. However, Osodeke stressed that TETFund should ensure proper disbursement of the fund.

The ASUU President further urged the government to hold vice-chancellors accountable for the misuse of funds, stating that funds meant for the university’s development were accumulating in some universities, with the value reducing over time. He explained that TETFund money was not being monitored and disbursed properly, which is why some universities had not accessed their TETFund money in the last three to four years.

Osodeke added that ASUU had been advocating for the government to investigate the use of funds in universities, stressing that the issue had led to a strike action. He also expressed concerns that TETFund-funded projects that were completed in 2023 still had the date of 2012 or 2013.

He concluded that if the TETFund money was well-monitored and disbursed, it would have a great impact on the system. However, as things stand, the value of the funds is being reduced, and the government needs to act to ensure the proper management and utilization of TETFund grants.