By Martin Paul
Abuja
For the umpteen time, the Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Dr. Abdullahi Bichi Baffa, has re-stated that the Fund would not grant any private university intervention, “no matter what is involved.”
Speaking at the weekend when he received the leadership of Blueprint Newspapers in his office, Baffa said the mandate that established TETFund was meant to correct anomalies in public universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.
He said those, who are calling on TETFund to extend it intervention to them, did not understand what the Act that gave birth to intervention was all about.
“It was in the days of military regime, lecturers were asking for improved funding to universities, government opted to introduce fees, but when there was resistance, they were asked to bring alternative.
“That is how the two per cent education tax was imposed on multi-national companies so that the infrastructures in public universities could be improved upon, not for private institutions”, Baffa explained.
Answering questions on the calls for increase in education tax from two to about five per cent, the executive secretary said it would proper for an expansive tax network rather than increase as many organisations were still not participating in the payment.
“What we need is an expansion of the tax network, not necessarily increase,” noting that TETFund had gone beyond infrastructural development to other segments of intervention in tertiary institutions across the country.
While appreciated Blueprint management for the visit, he assured that the Fund would strengthen its relationship with the newspaper,” saying: “Blueprint is a strong ally of TETFund and we shall keep that relationship.”
Earlier, Blueprint Chief Operating Officer, Salisu Umar, representing the Chairman/CEO, Mohammed Idris, said the visit was to congratulate Baffa for his deserved appointment as TETFund’s executive secretary.
He also pledged his support for the Fund through effective reportage of events and programmes.
“Though we are new in the media industry, overtime, we have ensured that Blueprint give adequate coverage to TETFund programmes because it is one of the most important organisations that has a lot to do with public interest,” he said.
Umar was accompanied by Editor-in-Chief of the newspaper, Hajiya Zainab Suleiman Okino, and other top management team of the newspaper, while Baffa was flanked by the Director of Press and Information, Ben Ibikwo, as well director in the ES’s office, Ifiok Ukim.