Nigerian Agency, TETFund Denies Corruption Claims, Moves To Sanitise Tertiary Education Sector

Mr Sonny Echono, the Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), has denied claims of corruption said to be ravaging some quarters of the agency.

 

Echono, while reacting to allegations of a multi-billion naira contract fund misappropriation against the agency, claimed in an interview on Thursday, that since he took over office as the Executive Secretary of TETFund, the agency has adhered to due process.

 

SaharaReporters had reported that the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged corruption in TETFund.

 

The group had urged the anti-graft agency to investigate alleged irregularities surrounding the contracts awarded by TETFund.

 

The petition, which was addressed to Mr. Olanipekun Olukoyede, the Executive Chairman of EFCC, was signed by HEDA’s Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju.

 

HEDA outlined its concerns over the award of contracts in foreign currency by TETFund, a move deemed illegal under Nigerian law.

 

Specifically, the petition cites the award of contracts totalLing N3.8 billion to Fides Et Ratio Academy and Pole Global Marketing (PGM) for capacity-building courses and learning management systems.

But Echono while denying the allegations said that apart from sanitising the education sector in Nigeria, part of his mandate was to tackle corruption in the system.

 

Also denying the allegation, Chief Executive Officer of Fides Et Ratio Academy, Paul Chukwuma, on Thursday said that it only entered into an agreement with TETFund on a skill training program for directors and deputy directors of information and communication technology as well as students in higher education institutions in the country.

 

 

Speaking further, Echono said, “We use MoUs generally for training programmes. We have been doing these MoUs, and I inherited about nine of them when I came in. Once we are discussing an MoU, it is not a contract. They are two different things.

 

“But we do contracts. We advertise all our projects. Four of these projects are going to FEC. 

 

"When I was asked to come here, I was given a mandate and I have introduced reforms, made very powerful enemies and you can see some bits of that. It shows that we have done a quick deal in reforming our systems to the acknowledgement of all our stakeholders.

 

"The initial impression that TETFund is a cesspool of corruption was an exaggerated one. I can confirm that from my experience. It was an exaggeration of what was happening. 

 

“There were some type of cartels that were in charge of TETFund projects and they also felt that all manners of political leaders could come to TETFund, collect what they call special intervention. There were no form of system or processes in place. I invited ICPC to come and inspect the systems and they did. They have come back for the second time."

 

Echono further noted that the agency would recover all monies collected by lecturers in Nigerian universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education for overseas training not attended.

 

According to him, the era of collecting funds from the government purse and not utilising them for the purpose for which they were received was over.

 

He said that the agency was currently working with the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) to identify defaulters, recover funds collected before handing out appropriate punishment.

 

“We have resolved the issue of lecturers who get trained and abscond. There are lecturers who collect money to go to workshops and conferences but don’t go. We are recovering money. We are punishing and prosecuting them.

 

“The ones that have absconded, we also have a programme through our embassies, through the embassies of the countries in which they are. That is why our memorandum of understanding is coming in again. When we sign an MoU with you, you must repatriate the student to us. It’s your responsibility. We didn’t have that before. That was why they could jump their bond. We’ve done a lot of reforms,” he said.

 

Echono further explained that partnerships entered into with some foreign firms had helped to expand the ICT infrastructure of many tertiary institutions across Nigeria, adding that the agency does not usurp the powers of the Federal Executive Council in the award of any contract for projects.

 

He restated the commitment of the Nigerian government to improve tertiary education in the country through the agency. 

He added that all previously abandoned projects were now being completed and efforts were ongoing to equip schools of higher learning with the capacity to produce graduates who would help to solve the nation’s economic problems.