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| Prof Bogoro |
NEITI report: I am too focused to be distracted by
speculators – Bogoro
speculators – Bogoro
By
Uji Abdullahi Iliyasu
Uji Abdullahi Iliyasu
Abuja
The
Executive Secretary of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Professor Suleiman
Elias Bogoro, has said that he is too focussed on delivering patriotic service
to the nation that no amount of speculation and malice can distract his
attention from serving his country.
Executive Secretary of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Professor Suleiman
Elias Bogoro, has said that he is too focussed on delivering patriotic service
to the nation that no amount of speculation and malice can distract his
attention from serving his country.
He
stated this in an interview when a team of editors from Blueprint Newspapers
paid him a courtesy visit in the Fund’s corporate headquarters in Abuja Monday.
stated this in an interview when a team of editors from Blueprint Newspapers
paid him a courtesy visit in the Fund’s corporate headquarters in Abuja Monday.
He
said he was used to Premium Times’ antics because it had
once gone out to talk about ATBU Bauchi and the unqualified contractors being
used by the institution which were all proved to be false. He said he would not pre-empt them but his
joy was that they were talking about a particular contract organisation by
registration and performance and wondererd why they could associate them with
non-performance.
said he was used to Premium Times’ antics because it had
once gone out to talk about ATBU Bauchi and the unqualified contractors being
used by the institution which were all proved to be false. He said he would not pre-empt them but his
joy was that they were talking about a particular contract organisation by
registration and performance and wondererd why they could associate them with
non-performance.
“Premium Times talked about federation
account. For your information, I tell you out rightly that they were wrong.
They should do their home work thoroughly next time. They should not tell lies just because they
wanted to malign somebody. TETFund fund is not from the federation
account. Go and check our law.
account. For your information, I tell you out rightly that they were wrong.
They should do their home work thoroughly next time. They should not tell lies just because they
wanted to malign somebody. TETFund fund is not from the federation
account. Go and check our law.
“The
protocol is simple. The management packages the budget and send it to the Board
of Trustees (BOT). That is the position of the law. It is our BOT that manages
TETFund on behalf of the federal government. The TETFund Act of 2011 stipulates that the
BOT sends our budget to the minister of
education who if he recommends it, sends it to the president. If he wants
amendments he points out where they are to be done. And if the president
approves, it comes back to TETFund for implementation,”
protocol is simple. The management packages the budget and send it to the Board
of Trustees (BOT). That is the position of the law. It is our BOT that manages
TETFund on behalf of the federal government. The TETFund Act of 2011 stipulates that the
BOT sends our budget to the minister of
education who if he recommends it, sends it to the president. If he wants
amendments he points out where they are to be done. And if the president
approves, it comes back to TETFund for implementation,”
Bogoro
said people forget about how Education
Tax Fund (ETF) and (TETFund) came about,
saying it was the innovative outcome of good thinking by Academic Staff Union
of Universities (ASUU) between 1990 and 1992.
said people forget about how Education
Tax Fund (ETF) and (TETFund) came about,
saying it was the innovative outcome of good thinking by Academic Staff Union
of Universities (ASUU) between 1990 and 1992.
The
TETFund boss said that they signed the agreement in 1993 in a the struggle
which he was physically involved.
TETFund boss said that they signed the agreement in 1993 in a the struggle
which he was physically involved.
“We made sure the law was cast in a way to
avoid bureaucracy and other factors that may affect the utilisation of the
fund. TETFund Act stipulates that its budget goes to the president not National
Assembly. Those who talk about the federation account do not even know the laws
of TETFund. They are talking about somebody else, but because they wanted to
malign TETFund, they brought in its name.
avoid bureaucracy and other factors that may affect the utilisation of the
fund. TETFund Act stipulates that its budget goes to the president not National
Assembly. Those who talk about the federation account do not even know the laws
of TETFund. They are talking about somebody else, but because they wanted to
malign TETFund, they brought in its name.
“One
of the media men that left said they had seen the report of NEITI but they did
take out TETFund. But someone focused on
TETFund negatively. It is about agencies
that are definitely underperforming, which we know.”
of the media men that left said they had seen the report of NEITI but they did
take out TETFund. But someone focused on
TETFund negatively. It is about agencies
that are definitely underperforming, which we know.”
Bogoro
said the main reason why ASUU negotiated with the federal government to
establish TETFund was the dilapidated and decrepit infrastructure in
universities. He said at that time in 1990, brain-drain was at its highest, so university
lecturers were leaving the country in droves. He gave instances when first
class graduates instead of going to teach in the university preferred to go to
the bank or oil sector.
said the main reason why ASUU negotiated with the federal government to
establish TETFund was the dilapidated and decrepit infrastructure in
universities. He said at that time in 1990, brain-drain was at its highest, so university
lecturers were leaving the country in droves. He gave instances when first
class graduates instead of going to teach in the university preferred to go to
the bank or oil sector.
“Then
there were no even offices for lecturers. Laboratory reagents were not there
not to talk of equipment. It was a depressing environment. I knew because I was
involved. I became a foundation graduate assistant at Federal University of Technology
(ATBU) Bauchi, after my national service. So I know no other place than the
university community. We who wear the shoes know where it pinches.
there were no even offices for lecturers. Laboratory reagents were not there
not to talk of equipment. It was a depressing environment. I knew because I was
involved. I became a foundation graduate assistant at Federal University of Technology
(ATBU) Bauchi, after my national service. So I know no other place than the
university community. We who wear the shoes know where it pinches.
“For somebody to say that we have no
operational guideline and accountability is unfortunate. Sometimes I wonder if
those guys were from the moon. Let them go to Auditor-General of the Federation
or Accountant-General. “As recent as two weeks ago I met one of the top guys
that monitored us here. He said ‘well done’ to us. I don’t know where these
guys got their story.”
operational guideline and accountability is unfortunate. Sometimes I wonder if
those guys were from the moon. Let them go to Auditor-General of the Federation
or Accountant-General. “As recent as two weeks ago I met one of the top guys
that monitored us here. He said ‘well done’ to us. I don’t know where these
guys got their story.”
He said TETFund management may not be perfect
because they are not angels, presiding over Nigerian public service, but TETFund
had never claimed that they were perfect.
because they are not angels, presiding over Nigerian public service, but TETFund
had never claimed that they were perfect.
“But
for God’s sake, we should be given credit. Go to any tertiary institution you
had visited 10 years back and tell me if there are no remarkable differences in
terms of infrastructures. Tetfund’s name was so manifest that people jocularly
said we should change higher schools names to TETFund.
for God’s sake, we should be given credit. Go to any tertiary institution you
had visited 10 years back and tell me if there are no remarkable differences in
terms of infrastructures. Tetfund’s name was so manifest that people jocularly
said we should change higher schools names to TETFund.
“We
just inaugurated, about a month ago impact assessment committee for self
evaluation. Tell me which government agency has ever done that. We should be
given credit as it amounts to self-assessment. All the Technical Advisory
Committee members on Impact Assessment (TACIA) are not TETFund staff. So we are
open enough.
just inaugurated, about a month ago impact assessment committee for self
evaluation. Tell me which government agency has ever done that. We should be
given credit as it amounts to self-assessment. All the Technical Advisory
Committee members on Impact Assessment (TACIA) are not TETFund staff. So we are
open enough.
Bogoro said TETFund
is an exceptionally impactful intervention agency in Nigeria. He said about six African countries had come to
understudy the TETFund model, the secret behind which is the effectiveness of its
management
is an exceptionally impactful intervention agency in Nigeria. He said about six African countries had come to
understudy the TETFund model, the secret behind which is the effectiveness of its
management
“That
takes us to the original idea from ASUU. ASUU felt that the annual budgetary
system had failed the nation. So they drew up a non-budgetary funding window
from two per cent deductible tax from profit-making entities. That is what
TETFund is all about.
takes us to the original idea from ASUU. ASUU felt that the annual budgetary
system had failed the nation. So they drew up a non-budgetary funding window
from two per cent deductible tax from profit-making entities. That is what
TETFund is all about.
“Money
goes to our central education pool account before they post it to our project
accounts and inform us. We cannot spend it without due process. Our law
stipulates that. Neither the Board, the Accountant-General
nor the Auditor-General has queried us that we had not been doing the right
thing .I don’t know how somebody who does not even know the law of TETFund
would sit and speculate in his bedroom and tells the world lies.”
goes to our central education pool account before they post it to our project
accounts and inform us. We cannot spend it without due process. Our law
stipulates that. Neither the Board, the Accountant-General
nor the Auditor-General has queried us that we had not been doing the right
thing .I don’t know how somebody who does not even know the law of TETFund
would sit and speculate in his bedroom and tells the world lies.”
According
to Premium Times, an online medium of
October 7, NEITI has accused TETFund management of misappropriating the sum of
N993.3bn from 2013- 2016.
to Premium Times, an online medium of
October 7, NEITI has accused TETFund management of misappropriating the sum of
N993.3bn from 2013- 2016.