The Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Sonny Echono, has clarified that the agency is not placing physical infrastructure development in tertiary institutions above research.
Speaking in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja, Echono acknowledged that TETFund is involved in constructing fences and other infrastructure in institutions. However, he emphasized that these efforts do not take precedence over research.
“The truth is that we are undertaking fencing projects and other physical infrastructure in tertiary institutions, but we are not prioritizing them over research. The reason for these projects is our country’s unique challenge—security concerns,” he explained.
Echono highlighted that investments in security infrastructure, such as fencing, account for less than one-third of the agency’s total expenditure compared to research funding in tertiary institutions.
“We have been investing in security infrastructure, but the scale of fencing projects is minimal compared to our investments in research,” he said.
He further explained that fencing helps prevent land encroachment, which remains a major issue for educational institutions. He added that the initiative extends beyond tertiary institutions, with secondary schools also benefiting from the fencing projects.
Echono reiterated that TETFund’s focus is not solely on infrastructure but on the overall development of tertiary institutions across the country.
“We are improving infrastructure, and every year, we invest in upgrading existing facilities. This year, we have allocated most of our funds to enhancing the infrastructure already in place rather than constructing new buildings,” he stated.
