The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, has accused the management of the some of Nigeria’s tertiary institutions of mismanagement of funds.
Mr Adamu said this during the sixth edition of the weekend ministerial press conference in Abuja on Sunday.
He said his ministry would soon set up visitation panels to probe the finances of the institutions.
”May I at this juncture express the serious concern of the federal government over the lack of accountability in some of our tertiary institutions.
“Let me reiterate that the federal government will not fold its arms to watch public educational institutions funded from the public purse to flout the laws of public accountability,” he said.
The minister did not name the institutions accused of mismanagement.
Mr Adamu said within the last four years, more than N727 billion has been released to the various tertiary institutions through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).
”During the period under review, the federal government through the instrumentality of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) allocated a total of N727,225,862,128.86 worth of investment in critical areas of infrastructural development in our tertiary institutions,” he said.
According to Mr Adamu, a breakdown of the funding efforts by the federal government indicates that in 2015, each public university (federal and states) got N337 million. This brings the total allocation to public universities to N24,938,000,000 for that year.
“In 2016, each public university was allocated 1,009410,000 (1,009,410,000 x 74 institutions), bringing the total allocation to public universities to N74,696,340,000 for year 2016.
In 2017, each of the 74 public universities was allocated N659,150,000. This brings the total allocation to public universities in 2017 to N48.8 billion
”In 2018, each public university in the country was allocated N 785,823,700 (N785,823,700 x 74 universities), bringing the total allocation to public universities N58,150,953,800.00 for year 2018,” he said.
Mr Adamu said the total allocation to public universities during the four years stands at N206,562,393,800.
For polytechnics, the minister said in 2015, 50 public polytechnics were each allocated N250 million, amounting to N12.5 billion.
”The amount of Six Hundred and Ninety-One Million, Six Hundred and Thirty-Two Thousand naira (N691,632,000) was allocated to 54 Polytechnics in 2016, amounting to Thirty-Seven billion, Three Hundred and Forty-Eight million, One Hundred and Twenty-Eight Thousand naira only (N37,348,128,000).”
Mr Adamu said N450,800,000 was allocated to 54 polytechnics in 2017, amounting to N24,343,200,000.
”In 2018, 54 polytechnics got N536,703,502,000 amounting to N28,981,989,108.
Mr Adamu said the total allocation to polytechnics during the period under review stood at N103,173,317,108.00.
”I must also report that states’ universities got a total allocation of N74,620,416,900).”
For the colleges of education, the total allocation during the period under review stood at N101,631,304,500.
Giving the breakdown for colleges of education, Mr Adamu said N12,485,000,000 was allocated to colleges of education in 2015.
”N37,348,135,000.00) was given in 2016, N23,743,500,000) in 2017, and N28,054,669,500 in 2018,” he said.
Speaking on the ongoing strikes by university and polytechnic lecturers, ASUU and ASUP respectively, the minister said the strikes will soon be suspended as most of the unions’ demands will be resolved.
”For ASUP, we have virtually resolved all issues as we await the union to also call off their strike in the coming days. In particular, we have reached agreement in the following areas; Review of Polytechnic Act, and Revitalization of Polytechnics and Colleges of Education,” he said.
Mr Adamu said the government is committed to the revitalisation of facilities in its public tertiary institutions and has directed the minister of finance to source for additional of N30 billion for the purpose, with particular reference to polytechnics and colleges of education.
He said N16.8 billion has been released to settle outstanding arrears.
Both ASUU and ASUP have been on strike since late 2018 based on issues of funding of their institutions and non-implementation of previous agreements by the federal government.
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