N683bn Grant: Your Directive To TETFund Will Not Stand, State Varsities Tackle Reps

The Committee of Pro-Chancellors of State-Owned Universities (COPSUN) has protested the House of Representatives Committee on Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) decision to halt the implementation of the 2024 TETFund intervention in state universities.

The organisation therefore called on the House of Representatives Committee on TETFund to rescind the directive and allow for further consultations, if necessary.

The National Assembly halted the N683 billion TETFund intervention projects planned for 2024 and requested that all universities submit drawings, designs, specifications, procurement details, and other relevant documents to the committee.

But COPSUN in a statement by its Secretary Suleiman Abubakar Mahdi, on behalf of the chairman, expressed concern over the directive.

According to him, the action is not only an encroachment on the autonomy of the Universities but also an infringement on the doctrine of separation of powers, which, he said, could potentially lead to conflict among the different tiers and branches of government.

He said, “It should be noted that the Governing Councils of the various state-owned universities are, by law, empowered to award or approve the award of contracts after due procurement processes and are exercising this executive prerogative.
“Therefore, the directive, even if valid, should not apply to State-Owned Universities. Furthermore, time is of the essence in executing these contracts, and with the upward trend in the dollar exchange rate resulting in inflation, this could ultimately increase costs.”