The House of Representatives ad hoc committee probing N2.3 trillion expended by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TetFund) says the agency spent over N40 billion on projects in six institutions in Borno.

The committee chair, Idem Unyime, disclosed this on Monday in Maiduguri during a courtesy visit to Governor Babagana Zulum.

Mr Unyime said the committee was in the state to visit the benefitting institutions to verify the claim.

“Your state has benefitted from TetFund to the tune of over N40 billion. Because of the petition that we have against TetFund on how N2.3 trillion was allegedly abused, the House inaugurated this committee to go round the country to ensure that the projects and programmes on the ground equal to the money released,” stated the legislator.

Mr Unyime added, “We are here to look at things for ourselves, to take submissions from schools and to go round the entire state to inspect the project and programmes.”

He promised that they would be thorough and transparent, adding that their report will, among others, also look at ways to empower TetFund in terms of additional funding.

Mr Zulum urged the committee to carry out its assignment diligently and develop recommendations to guide tertiary institutions and TetFund in managing scarce resources.

The Borno governor, who recalled his tenure as the rector of Ramat Polytechnic, Maiduguri, from 2011 to 2015, lauded the interventions of TetFund in many viable projects in the institutions.

“It is my belief that the outcome of this investigation will add value to what heads of institutions are doing in the state, especially in areas of managing the little we are getting from TetFund. Without TetFund, many institutions would have failed completely,” stated Mr Zulum. 

(NAN)