The federal government on Friday inaugurated six TETFund-sponsored projects worth N2.8 billion at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU), Awka, Anambra State.

Inaugurating the projects, Benjamin Kalu, the deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, said the structures would enhance teaching and learning and improve academic standards in the university.

The projects include lecture halls, a faculty building for social sciences, Department of Psychology building, and laboratories and offices for the Faculty of Pharmacy.

Others are classrooms and blocks of offices for the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Departmental office block for the Faculty of Education (Vocational Studies).

Mr Kalu, represented by Chinwe Nnabuife, a lawmaker representing Orumba North and South Federal Constituency, commended TETFund for their efforts in developing public tertiary education in Nigeria.

“In continuation of the intervention activities of TETFund, I am delighted to note that the six projects were valued at N2,775,227,111.78.

“Apart from the support of physical infrastructure and equipment, TETFund has also sponsored 126 lecturers for Ph.D. this university in foreign and local institutions costing N1,328,493,656.00.

“Twenty-six lecturers for Masters Degrees in both foreign and local institutions costing N180,742,032.50; and 10 lecturers for Bench Work costing N51,802,260.00.

“A lecturer was sponsored for Postdoc costing N8,200,000.00, while 416 staff have been sponsored for conferences locally and abroad at a cost of N315,722,010.20,” he stated. 

Mr Kalu said the National Assembly would continue to work with the executive to make educational institutions globally competitive for the economic and technological development of the country.

Also speaking, Sonny Echono, the executive secretary of TETFund, said the fund’s interventions to the university started in 2009.

He said N10,567,075,176.00 had been allocated for infrastructure-related interventions so far.

Mr Echono, represented by Inene Erivwo, the director of strategic planning and development, said about 87.33 per cent of the funds had already been accessed to provide requisite facilities in the university.

Charles Esimone, the vice-chancellor of NAU, said the inauguration of the projects was part of activities marking the institution’s 17th convocation and graduation ceremony. 

(NAN)