In a significant development, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has inaugurated six educational projects at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) and Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic (ATAP) in Bauchi. These projects, funded by the Tertiary Education Fund (TETFund), carry a total cost of N873.6 million.
The projects, four of which are located at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), include the construction of departmental buildings B & C as part of the 2017-2020 annual intervention, an academic building for the school of management technology, classrooms, and laboratories.
During the commissioning of these projects at both institutions, President Tinubu, represented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, also bestowed Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic (ATAP) with a 500-seater capacity examination hall, a 300-seater examination hall, and a new student hostel.
The President emphasized that these projects are integral to addressing students’ challenges and fostering cooperation between staff unions and the government. He acknowledged the vital role of TETFund in advancing public tertiary educational institutions in Nigeria and, in light of this, approved an upward revision of the Education Tax (EDT) to 3 percent, effective from September 2023, to further bolster TETFund’s intervention efforts.
President Tinubu underscored the critical role of education in a nation’s socio-economic development and affirmed that the commissioning of these projects would significantly improve teaching and learning, ultimately enhancing academic standards.
In his words, “Education forms an integral part of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda. The federal government will continue to provide necessary support to make our educational institutions globally competitive for the economic and technological development of the country.”
TETFund’s Executive Secretary, Architect Sonny Ochono, represented by Dr. Salihu Girei Bakari, the Director of Research and Development, urged the institutions’ management to ensure the proper usage and maintenance of these newly inaugurated facilities, emphasizing the government’s commitment to providing conducive learning environments to nurture future leaders.
Ochono stated, “Regardless of the economic challenges in the nation, the Fund is not deterred. We remain focused on the delivery of our mandate and supporting excellence and innovations at our institutions of learning.”
These projects reflect a substantial investment in education infrastructure, demonstrating the government’s commitment to improving the quality of education in Nigeria.
Source: Leadership Newspaper