Contrary to reports, the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has refuted claims that it approved questionable contracts totaling N7.6 billion without the necessary endorsements from the President and the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
Responding to media allegations, the Commission clarified that it did not overstep the authority of the President or the FEC, nor did it engage in contract awards without following proper procedures. The entire premise of the accusation was based on the incorrect assumption that contracts were issued by the Fund.
The report alleged that TETFund authorized N7.6 billion in questionable contracts within a brief period without adhering to due process.
In an official statement signed by the Acting Director of Public Affairs, Abdulmumin Oniyangi, the Commission dismissed the claims and emphasized that all disbursement guidelines of the Fund receive approval from the President.
The statement noted, “For clarity and to counter the misrepresentation in the publication, we affirm that all TETFund Disbursement Guidelines undergo approval from Mr. President based on the recommendations of the Fund’s Board of Trustees and the endorsement of the Minister of Education, in compliance with the TETFund Act 2011.”
“We categorically deny any attempt by the Fund to infringe upon the powers of the President or the FEC or to conduct contract awards without due process. The allegations stemmed from the incorrect assumption that contracts were granted by the Fund.”
Further addressing the issue, the Commission clarified that the two projects in question were not contractual agreements but rather ICT projects being executed through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with two renowned global academies: Anthology USA and Edunet Academy.
These academies own the intellectual property rights to their respective products, making them ineligible for public bidding in procurement processes.
“Therefore, it must be noted that the collaboration with these academies for the implementation of the ICT initiatives outlined by the Fund and endorsed by Beneficiary Institutions did not involve formal contracts,” the statement explained.
“Instead, the ICT requirements of Beneficiary Institutions were consolidated to facilitate bulk negotiations and leverage economies of scale.”
Commenting on the allegations regarding the empowerment of students with ICT skills, the Commission stated that such claims reflect a lack of understanding of TETFund’s mission and obligations.
“While we strongly denounce any efforts to tarnish the Fund’s reputation for personal gain, we urge our Beneficiary Institutions, stakeholders, and the public to disregard these smear campaigns and continue to support and acknowledge the Fund’s endeavors.”
“We assure you that the Fund remains committed to acting responsibly and in adherence to due process in all its endeavors,” the statement concluded.