“Success comes to the man who does today what others were thinking of doing tomorrow” – John Mason
The footprints which Professor Suleiman Elias Bogoro wants to leave on the sands of time at the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) can never be over emphasized. As the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Bogoro is always busy on how to deliver the mandate of the fund as provided in Section 7(1)(a) to (e) of the TETFund ACT2011 which is to administer and disburse the resources in the fund to federal and state tertiary educational institutions, specifically for the provision and maintenance of essential physical infrastructure for teaching and learning, instructional material and equipment, among others.
It is in view of this that the TETFund Executive Secretary, with the support of his board members, has spread his tentacles to federal and state-owned institutions of high learning in the six geo-political zones of Nigeria to make studying more meaningful to students who are the leaders of tomorrow in order to measure up with their peers around the world while also not leaving the lecturers behind by providing them with top-of-the-world teaching aids in line with the change agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari. Just as it has done in the North-central, South-west and Southeast, TETFund has also taken its giant strides to the tertiary institutions in the Northwest.
At the Federal College of Education (FCE) Kano, TETFund through the 2019 zonal intervention fund; supplied, installed, tested and commissioned laboratory and office equipment, including an electronic industrial washing and drying machine weighing 30kg. There was also the procurement of a brand new Toyota Hiace 15-seater patrol engine with speed manual transmission, power steering, and air conditioning system. For Federal University, Dutsin-Ma, Katsina State, there was the construction of laboratory complex for Faculty of Agriculture, procurement of fifty different furniture for laboratories at the Faculty of Agriculture.
There was also the procurement, installation, commissioning and testing of 1,683 various equipment for the Faculty of Agriculture, among others.
Through TETFund 2017/2018/2019 annual merged intervention, the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua University, Katsina benefited from the construction and furnishing of Department of Geography, Faculty of Arts and Environmental Science, construction and furnishing of professors’ offices comprising 12 offices, 1 conference room and 4 panel room, construction and furnishing of 2 central laboratories comprising 2 central prep room, 24 compartments and 2 inverters room. The Hassan Usman Polytechnic (HUP) Katsina through the 2019 TETFund Intervention for completion of Year 2015 Special Intervention got the construction of College of Administration and Management Studies, construction of College of Engineering and construction of Academic Staff Offices consisting 16 offices as well as furnishing it.
At the Federal College of Education Katsina state, there was the construction of science laboratories block for School of Secondary Education Sciences including 8 laboratories, 22 offices and 8 preparatory rooms. Also, there was construction of the Central Examination and Academic Board Complex, 1 examination office, one Academic Boardroom and 2Examination room. The 2017/2018/2019 Annual Intervention) also captured the construction and furnishing of a modern Home Management flat for Home Economics Department; 11rooms in number, construction and furnishing of 350-capacity Lecture Theatre for School of Secondary Education complex phase 1, furnishing of 5 lecture halls at old Business Education, Hausa and Computers Departments, supply, testing and commissioning of equipment at Computer Department comprising 163 all in one HP Intel core. Also not left out is the Isa Kaita College of Education Dutsin-Ma where there was construction of School of Art and Social Science comprising one lecture hall, 6.classrooms, a Computer Hall, a Library hall, 26 Offices (with 21 Ensuite) and one Conference Room all through the 2017/2018/2019 Annual Merged Project. So also is the Waziri Umaru Polytechnic Birnin Kebbi who through the 2019 zonal intervention benefited from the supply and installation of Civil Engineering and Science Technology equipment, supply and installation of furniture for the Laboratory Science Technology Department.
At Adamu Augie College of Education, Argungu, there was construction and furnishing of the School of Language Hall and a reception, construction of 4Nr 100-capacity lecture halls and procurement of furniture and equipment for the halls. Also there was construction of College Sick Bay with 8Nr bed space for both male and female wards and procurement of furniture and equipment for 250 capacity twin lecture theatre which includes 500Nr lecture theatre seats. The construction and furnishing of Technical Evaluation Building, Conference Room/ Studios, construction and furnishing of School of Sciences Building, laboratories and communication equipment. At Federal University Dutse, Jigawa through TETFund 2017/2018/2019 special intervention got the supply and installation of four 10KVA solar generating power plants at new Computer Science Equipment. And also was the supply and installation of two independent solar inverters for new Faculty Buildings. There was procurement and commissioning of equipment, one mini conference table, 80 visitor chairs, 500 laboratory stools circular steel frame and padded top at the Bilyaminu Usman Polytechnic, Hadejia.
As a government institution that pursues its mission everywhere and all the time, TETFund through the 2019 annual intervention at the Sokoto State University Sokoto constructed one-storey building for Faculty of Education Block B comprising six Professor’s office, 1 conference room, library, HOD office, one 9000+ 17792mm classroom, one 17433+ 900 m classroom and six lecture rooms, furnished the Faculty of Education, supply and installation, testing of three 5KVA inverters with batteries 200 AH deep cycle and accessories. So also, Umar Ali Shinkafi Polytechnic, Sokoto through the 2019 zonal intervention got the supply, delivery, installation and commissioning of Agricultural Technology, laboratories and workshops equipment.
At the Abdul Gusau Polytechnic Talata, Marafa, there was construction and furnishing of one storey building classroom, staff offices, HOD office, School Directors Library and Examination offices, Business and Management Offices, construction and furnishing of one storey, 5 HODs Offices, 5 Chief lecturer offices, 4 Senior lecturer Offices, 14 general Offices, seminar room and academic staff office, procurement, installation, training and commissioning of various types of equipment. Soil Mechanic Laboratory, 20 Hydraulic/hydrology lab equipment, 10 structure strength of metallic equipment and 13 survey equipment. Also, there was construction and furnishing of one storey building School of Communication comprising 49 offices, 3 ICT laboratories, 1 Demonstration Library and 1 courtyard, construction and furnishing of 300 capacity lecture theatre, supply and installation of furniture for School of Communication comprising 450 classroom furniture and the construction and furnishing of 200 capacity theatre all through the 2017/2018/2019 annual merged intervention. FCE (Technical Gusau) was also not left out and through its 2019 zonal intervention got 62Nr 80 integrated all in one Solar light and Accessories and all were installed, tested and commissioned.
Zamfara State College of Education Maru where there was construction of School of Undergraduates Studies comprising 6 Lecture Halls, 10 offices, 1 Co-coordinator office, 1 Conference Hall and library while the School of Technical and Vocational Education Complex was also rehabilitated. As part of the (2017/2018/2019 Annual Intervention, there was also the supply, installation and furnishing of Art and Social Sciences, supply, installation of lecture hall furniture and GPS facilities, 200Nr student desk and bench two seater with back rest complete.
Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria through its 2017/2018/2019 annual merged intervention benefited through the construction and furnishing of extension of 1 storey building Department of Veterinary medicine with staff offices, conference room, four executive tables, chairs, and one extension 10-seater capacity conference table. There was construction of Recreation and Sport Centre for Department of Physical and Health Education at the Institute of Administration, construction and furnishing of 1 storey-building Dean’s Office, classrooms and seminar rooms for Faculty of Art with two classrooms, Exams office, Seminar rooms, general office, Faculty Office, ICT and Dean of Faculty Boardroom, construction and furnishing of Biology Department with two 100-seater capacity Lecture Hall, one 100 Capacity Classroom, three Research Laboratory for professors, construction of Urban and Regional Planning building with one seminar room and studio drawing board. Also there was construction and furnishing of 2-storey Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture with laboratories, library, reading classrooms, seminar room and laboratory stores, construction and furnishing of Agricultural Extension Students ICT Centre, 2 ICT Laboratory, supply, testing, installation of Teaching and Research Equipment for the Department of Pathology, Hematology and Physic and furnishing of Computer Science Department consisting of 100 Laptop 7th generation Intel core. At the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna, TETFund constructed the Senate Building, constructed and furnished the 250-capacity Computer base building, completed 4 wings cadet accommodation project, this through the 2015/2017/2018/2019 Annual merged Intervention. There was also the construction and furnishing of Senate Building with pent House conference room, senate chambers, council chambers, construction and furnishing of Faculty Building, Conference Rooms, seminar rooms, two 100 capacity classrooms and 1000KVA sound proof generator, UPS alternative power CCT, this through the 2019 special intervention
At Nuhu Bamali Polytechnic, Zaria, there was construction of workshop for Department of NCE Technical, procurement and installation of a Vane vacuum pump RVHo 12H Analytical balance model, fabrication of 500Kg waste plastic pyrolsis plant, fabrication of 1.5 tonne crystalline super plant, fabrication of and development 100Kgl cycle glass melting furnace, supply, installation commissioning of 250No.various types of furniture and equipment. There was also the supply, installation and commissioning of equipment for School of Engineering Technology which include Department of Electrical and Electronic Technology, procurement and installation of 230 solar-made collapsible padded 2 seater lecture seats, 102 classroom furniture all through the 2019 special intervention. At Air force Institute of Technology (AFIT), Kaduna, there was construction and furnishing of Ground Communication Engineering complex with 40 lecture rooms, fabrication of Block Molding Machine and bending rolling machine, construction of Social and Management Studies complex comprising lecture rooms E-library through the 2019 annual fabrication intervention.
At Bayero University Kano (BUK), there was expansion of existing Chemistry Laboratory Building (wings 1), Expansion of existing 0f Chemistry lab (B) with two 60 capacity labs, six offices, expansion of existing of Biological Sciences Laboratory Building, furnishing of Chemistry Laboratory (wings 1) comprising teacher’s demonstration table. Also there was commissioning of fume hoods for various laboratories, furnishing of the inorganic laboratory, furnishing of remedial science laboratory and completion of Senate Building (furnishing) comprising ninety nine 4 seater Turkish chip board and completion of international conference centre all through TETfund 2017/2018/2019 annual merged intervention. It is worthy of note to say here that TETfund has introduced renewable energy platform at BUK In line with global best practice and it is line with this that Prof. Bogoro asserts that “renewable energy is the major quest for sustainable development in the western world.” With this Centre now in operation at Bayero University (BUK) Kano, it is expected that Nigerians would toe this line.
At Kano State Polytechnic, there was construction of Academic Staff Office comprising 20 offices, one Common Room, one meeting room, supply and commissioning of furniture and Equipment comprising four 455-seater classrooms chairs, 92 Computers Tables in approved colored animated MDF and 92approved computer chairs. There was fabrication of small-scale groundnut oil extracting plant, design and fabrication of eight shaft table rooms, design and fabrication of micro-controller based fire outbreak detector system with sms reporting using Pic 18f 452, fabrication of small sealed battery for entrepreneurship training of students in the Polytechnic, design and fabrication of manual sugar cane biogases-based waste paper recycling machine, fabrication of multi-experimental trainer kit and fabrication of perforated masonry machine. There was also fabrication of medical transit system (Elevator) as a teaching and for practical demonstration, fabrication of solar dryer for student practical in Pharmaceutical Drying processes and fabrication of Essential oil distiller all through the 2016-2019 annual merged intervention. At the Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education Kumbotso also in Kano, there was construction and furnishing of 2-storey classroom and office building (ground and first floor, comprising 4 lecture Halls, 20 water closet suites and 20 wash hand basin, construction and furnishing of 2 Blocks of 2-storey Science Laboratory Complex A and B, construction and furnishing of one-storey building lecture demonstration Hall comprising 200 classroom seats construction and furnishing of Yunusa Library Block comprising 2 Nr main reading Area. According to Prof. Abubakar Adamu Rasheed, former vice chancellor, BUK, Kano who is presently the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC), well-meaning individuals and organisations should key into the vision of TETfund, under the visionary leadership of Prof. Suleiman Elias Bogoro, saying such vision could address the challenges attached to Nigeria”s dependence on oil.
It is thus suffice to say that Professor Bogoro is achieving successes at TETFund because he enjoys the backing and cooperation of the board members, management and staff and in the word of Mario Puzo, American author and journalist, “The strength of the family is like the strength of the army, which is loyalty to each other”. The unity of purpose, love and organic solidarity existing among the management of TETFund and members of staff of the agency is yielding positive results, for the common good of all the tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
Ibrahim writes via [email protected]
