From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
A civil society organisation, the People’s Development Network, has advised the management of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) to brace for further “unfounded attacks” from individuals who are apparently unhappy with the reforms implemented by the agency.
In a weekend statement, the Network’s Public Relations Officer, Ajibade Daniel, cautioned TETFund that certain individuals are determined to discredit the agency’s commendable efforts to enhance the academic, infrastructural, and overall state of tertiary institutions in Nigeria. He urged the agency to anticipate such “attacks.”
“Continuing their insidious plot to illegally oust Sonny Echono as TETFund’s Executive Secretary, the detractors will likely target the agency’s research programs and academic staff training next,” Daniel stated.
“They are well-informed about the agency’s operations, but they are adept at misleading and misinforming Nigerians who are unfamiliar with the agency’s processes. Many Nigerians are aware that TETFund faithfully implements disbursement guidelines approved by the President, encompassing both physical and content components of its interventions.”
“We have meticulously monitored the situation, and reports by certain media outlets have revealed their willingness to serve as tools in the ongoing attempt to undermine the agency. It is evident that TETFund is currently under siege by desperate office seekers. We witnessed firsthand ASUU President’s commendation of TETFund under its present leadership and how reforms have steered the agency toward a new path in its interventions in tertiary institutions.”
Ajibade further criticised the biased reporting of some media platforms, stating that their actions do not constitute genuine journalism.
“Questioning why a medium would claim the agency’s Executive Secretary was detained by ICPC when he was not even invited clearly demonstrates a destructive motive behind the numerous reports,” he remarked.