News

TETfund Trains Over 37,000 Scholars For Local, Foreign PhDs, Other programmes

Published

3 years ago

August 18, 2023

Editor

…Laments failure of beneficiaries to serve their bonds at home institutions after completing programmes

The Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETfund, said it has successfully sponsored over 37,000 scholars for both foreign and local PhDs, Masters, Bench Work, and Postdoctoral programmes in various institutions.

But it disclosed that it was considering suspending the segment of the foreign component of the scholarship due to the recent CBN monetary policy, which it noted,resulted in a sharp drop in the value of the Naira thus creating difficulties in the payment of foreign scholarship tuition fees and stipends.

The development came even as TETFund recently signed several Memoranda of Understanding,MoU’s with some prestigious institutions overseas, including universities in Malaysia, India, Brazil, France and the United States with a view to boosting and enhancing the TETFund Scholarship for Academic Staff, TSAS programme.

Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc. Sonny Echono,who said these on Wednesday,at a One-Day Stakeholders’ Engagement on Emerging Issues that Affect TETFund Intervention Programmes,in Abuja, lamented the deliberate failure of beneficiaries to return to serve their bonds at their home institutions upon completion of their programmes.

He said: ”The Fund, for instance, has successfully sponsored over 37,000 scholars for both foreign and local PhDs, Masters, Bench Work, and Postdoc programs in various institutions.

“Recently, we encountered difficulties that compelled a review of foreign scholarships. The recent CBN monetary policy, which resulted in a sharp drop in the value of the Naira has created difficulties in the payment of foreign scholarship tuition fees and stipends.

“As a solution, we are considering suspending the segment of the foreign component of the TETFund scholarship outside the 11 MOUs executed by the Fund, while considering an upward review of the local TETFund Scholarship for Academic Staff,TSAS intervention.

“Additionally, there are issues related to scholars not returning to serve their bonds at their home institutions upon completion of their programmes.

“Infact the challenge of scholars absconding has undermine and complicated the TETFund Scholarship for Academic Staff (TSAS) program and bringing it under intense scrutiny.

” It is for these and other reasons that this engagement was organized. We need to address these challenges and find solutions to ensure the effective and smooth implementation of our scholarship programmes.”

Echono said the “Fund at this material time is also discouraging beneficiary institutions from initiating new Benchwork programmes.”

Explaining that the engagement was to foster open dialogue and collaboration among the Fund’s key stakeholders, Echono said: ”We understand the significance of your collective insights, ideas, and feedback in enhancing the effectiveness of our intervention programs. It is through the shared efforts that we can drive positive changes and accelerate the development of our nation’s education sector.”

He spoke further: “As an agency of the government tasked with rebuilding and supporting the nation’s tertiary institutions, we are fully aware of the enormous responsibility and task before us, especially considering the importance of tertiary education in nation-building.

“The Fund has been entrusted with the responsibility of rehabilitating the physical infrastructure and other content aspects of the nation’s entire public tertiary institutions. To fulfill this mission, various intervention lines of the Fund were established.

“Over the years, the Fund has not only supported public tertiary institutions in the rehabilitation and provision of physical infrastructure but has also contributed to the training of academic staff in postgraduate studies both locally and internationally.

” It has also supported the development and conversion of manuscripts into books and invested in the libraries of these institutions with materials and other resources. Additionally, the Fund has provided support for conference attendance, research, and publications, significantly improving the standard and quality of teaching, and learning in our nation’s tertiary institutions. Despite the progress achieved, much still needs to be done, and the Fund remains committed to continuously improving its services and operations through stakeholder engagement and other means.”

The TETFund boss noted that since his assumption of office, he has taken significant steps aimed at repositioning and advancing TETFund’s objectives.

“This One-Day Interactive Engagement with Heads of Beneficiary Institutions was initiated last year to gather valuable feedback on TETFund intervention projects. These invaluable inputs received have been instrumental in refining our strategies and ensuring that our projects are tailored to meet the specific needs of beneficiary institutions. Some of the reforms implemented include a review of the Audit Process to curb attendant delays. We also took proactive steps to address issues related to distressed and abandoned projects across institutions.

“By strengthening and streamlining our proposals review process and implementing a robust Monitoring & Evaluation policy, we have been able to achieve smoother and faster execution of physical infrastructure interventions. Issues related to variation of projects have constantly featured in my engagements with institutions.

“The rate of inflation in the country has made it necessary that we reconsider the fixed cost regime for physical infrastructure intervention depending on the project lifecycle.

“Projects with more than one year lifecycle are likely to be affected by inflation and rise in cost of materials, as such variation in such cases may be justifiable. The Fund is further considering either converting the Fabrication interventions line to Skills acquisition or introducing Skill Acquisition as an Annual Direct Disbursement Intervention line. There is also the need to undertake a comprehensive audit of all equipment, particularly the skill G equipment, procured and delivered to institutions to establish their status and identify those that require upgrade,”he further said.

According to him, in recognition of the importance of empowering the staff of Career Units in Nigerian universities,the Fund had designed a Capacity Building programme specifically for “these staff members.”

“This programme will equip them with the necessary skills and knowledge to support students in developing capabilities to find and sustain meaningful employment. The train-the-trainer (TTT) model will be adopted, where three (3) participants from each beneficiary university will receive training from the IFC experts on the details of setting up or restructuring career services units to meet global standards. These trained participants will then pass on their knowledge to other staff members of career support units at their respective universities.

“We believe that these initiatives along with the NSQF designed for the Polytechnic sector, will contribute significantly to the improvement of employability practices in Nigeria and pave the way for a brighter future for our graduates. We extend our deep appreciation to the International Finance Corporation (IFC) for their unwavering support as we strive to create a stronger and more prosperous future for our graduates and the nation,” he said.

Going further,he said: “In our efforts to leverage on communication and information technology to expand access, improve quality and promote inclusiveness in the delivery of tertiary education in our country.

“The Fund has intensified the implementation of our digital literacy road map starting from home, we have commenced the full implementation of the LDI online submissions platform. Henceforth the submission of proposals for the physical infrastructure projects by institutions will be carried out online.

“The provision of fixed mobile internet services to staff and students of various institutions programme will also be fully implemented.

“The Fund is also implementing the converged services programme which includes capacity development and train the trainer [TTT] on communication skills and online certification courses for students across institutions.

“The capacity-building programme and training-the-trainer and technical works for blackboard enhanced e-learning platform is currently being implemented, while the phase two of the thesis digitization project will proceed as planned.”

News

Xenophobic Attacks: Oshiomhole Tells FG To Retaliate Against South African Companies In Nigeria

Published

16 hours ago

May 5, 2026

Editor

Senator Adams Oshiomhole has called on the Federal Government to retaliate against South African businesses operating in Nigeria following the recent attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.

Speaking during plenary on Tuesday, Oshiomhole said the Federal Government should consider revoking the working license of South African owned companies such as MTN and DSTV.

He argued that Nigeria must respond firmly to what he described as persistent hostility against its citizens.

“I am not going to shed tears. If you hit me, I hit you. I think it is appropriate in diplomacy. It is an economic struggle,” Oshiomhole said.

He argued that while some South Africans accuse Nigerians of taking their jobs, Nigerians should return home and take over employment opportunities created by major South African companies operating in the country, including MTN and DSTV.

“When we hit back, the President of South Africa will not only talk but will also go on his knees to recognise that Nigeria cannot be intimidated.

“We will not condone any life being lost. If a crime has been committed under the South African law they have the right to bring any such person to justice, but to kill our people as if we are helpless, we will not allow that,” Oshiomhole added.

DAILY POST reports that several Nigerians in South Africa have reportedly been attacked, and their businesses destroyed, in ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country.

News

IGP Orders Officers Display Name Tag On Uniform, Gives Update On State Police

Published

16 hours ago

May 5, 2026

Editor

The Inspector General of Police, IGP, Tunji Disu, has ordered all police personnel to always have their name tags on their uniforms for easy identification.

Disu disclosed that only police personnel who are undercover are exempted from displaying their name tags.

Speaking on Tuesday, Disu said: “All police officers should have their name tags. All of us on the high table have our names apart from the undercover among us so if you look at all the Commissioners of Police we have our name tags, so it’s not our standard.

News

Court Orders SERAP To Pay DSS Operatives N100m For Defamation

Published

21 hours ago

May 5, 2026

Editor

The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory has ordered a non-governmental organization, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, to pay N100 million as damaged to two operatives of the Department of the State Services, DSS, for unjustly defaming them in some publications.

The court also ordered SERAP to tender public apologies to the defamed officers,
Sarah John and Gabriel Ogundele, in two national newspapers, two television stations and its website.

Besides, the organization was also ordered to pay the two operatives N1 million as cost of litigation and 10 percent post-judgment interest annually on the judgment sum until it’s fully liquidated.

Justice Yusuf Halilu of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory gave the order on Tuesday while delivering judgment in a N5.5 billion defamation suit instituted against SERAP by the DSS operatives.

The judge found SERAP liable for unjustly defaming the two DSS operatives with allegations that they unlawfully invaded its Abuja office, harassed and intimidated its staff, in September 2024.

In the offending publication on its website and Twitter handle, SERAP alleged that the two operatives unlawfully invaded and occupied its office with sinister motives.

The judge held that the publication was in bad taste especially from an organization established to promote transparency and accountability, as nothing in the publication was found to be truthful.

The DSS staff had listed SERAP as 1st defendant in the suit marked CV/4547/2024. SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, was listed as the 2nd defendant.

In the suit, the claimants – Sarah John and Gabriel Ogundele – accused the two defendants of making false claims that they invaded SERAP’s Abuja office on September 9, 2024..

Counsel to the DSS, Oluwagbemileke Samuel Kehinde, had while adopting his final address in the mater urged the judge to grant all the reliefs sought by his client in the interest of justice.

He admitted that although the names of the two claimants were not mentioned in the defamation materials, they had however established substantial circumstances that they are the ones referred to in the published defamation article by SERAP on its website.

The counsel submitted that all ingredients of defamation have been clearly established and the offending publication referred to the two officials of the secret police.

However, SERAP, through its counsel, Victoria Bassey from Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, law firm, asked the court to dismiss the suit on the ground that the two claimants did not establish that they were the ones referred to in the alleged defamation materials.

She said that SERAP used “DSS officials” in the alleged offending publication, adding that the two claimants must establish that they are the ones referred to before their case can succeed.

Similar arguments were canvassed by Oluwatosin Adefioye who stood for the second defendant, adding that there was no dispute in the September 9, 2024 operation of DSS in SERAP’s office.

He said that since SERAP in the publication did not name any particular person, the claimants must plead special circumstances that they were the ones referred to as the DSS officials.

Besides, he said that there is no organization by name Department of State Services in law, hence, DSS cannot claim being defamed adding that the only entity known to law is National Security Agency.

The claimants had in the suit stated that the alleged false claim by SERAP has negatively impacted on their reputation.

The DSS also stated, in the statement of claim, that, in line with the agency’s practice of engaging with officials of non-governmental organisations operating in the FCT to establish a relationship with their new leadership, it directed the two officials – John and Ogunleye – to visit SERAP’s office and invite them for a familiarization meeting.

The claimants added that in carrying out the directive, John and Ogunleye paid a friendly visit to SERAP’s office at 18 Bamako Street, Wuse Zone 1, Abuja on September 9 and met with one Ruth, who upon being informed about the purpose of the visit, claimed that none of SERAP’s management staff was in the country and advised that a formal letter of invitation be written by the DSS.

John and Ogundele, who claimed that their interactions with Ruth were recorded, said before they immediately exited SERAP’s office, Ruth promised to inform her organisation’s management about the visit and volunteered a phone number – 08160537202.

They said it was surprising that, shortly after their visit, SERAP posted on its X (Twitter) handle – @SERAPNigeria – that officers of the DSS are presently unlawfully occupying its office.

The claimant added, “On the same day, the defendants also published a statement on SERAP’s website, which was widely reported by several media outfits, falsely alleging that some officers from the DSS, described as “a tall, large, dark-skinned woman” and “a slim, dark skinned man,” invaded their Abuja office and interrogated the staff of the first defendant (SERAP).

John and Ogundele stated that “due to the false statements published by the defendants, the DSS has been ridiculed and criticised by international agencies such as the Amnesty International and prominent members of the Nigerian society, such as Femi Falana (SAN)”.

“Due to the false statements published by the defendants, members of the public and the international community formed the opinion that the Federal Government is using the DSS to harass the defendants.”

They added that the defendants’ statements caused harm to their reputation because the staff and management of the DSS have formed the opinion that the claimants did not follow orders and carried out an unsanctioned operation and are therefore, incompetent and unprofessional.

The claimants therefore prayed the court for the following reliefs: “An order directing the defendants to tender an apology to the claimants via the first defendant’s (SERAP’s) website, X (twitter) handle, two national daily newspapers (Punch and Vanguard) and two national news television stations (Arise Television and Channels Television) for falsely accusing the claimants of unlawfully invading the first defendant’s office and interrogating the first defendant’s staff.

“An order directing the defendants to pay the claimants the sum of N5 billion as damages for the libellous statements published about the claimants.

“Interest on the sum of N5b at the rate of 10 percent per annum from the date of judgment until the judgment sum is realised or liquidated.

“An order directing the defendants to pay the claimants the sum of N50 million as costs of this action.”