The House of Representatives has resolved to investigate the quality and standard of completed and ongoing projects funded by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) across tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
The lawmakers said the probe aims to ensure accountability and value for money in the implementation of TETFund interventions nationwide.
The resolution followed a motion moved by Aderemi Oseni (APC, Oyo), who urged the House to scrutinize the state of infrastructure in Nigeria’s first-generation universities and evaluate how TETFund projects have been executed over the years.
In adopting the motion, the House directed the Federal Ministries of Education and Finance, the National Universities Commission (NUC), TETFund, and relevant development partners to design new strategies for refurbishing the nation’s first-generation universities and restoring their lost glory.
Leading the debate, Oseni lamented that institutions such as the University of Ibadan, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, which once ranked among the best globally, have suffered years of neglect and infrastructural decay.
“In the early 1960s, our universities exuded glory, glamour, and class. They attracted foreign students and international recognition. Unfortunately, these institutions have lost that reputation due to decades of neglect and the abandonment of critical infrastructure,” Oseni said.
He noted that lecture halls, hostels, and auditoriums in the universities have deteriorated, while facilities such as university zoos that once drew tourists have become empty or extinct.
The lawmaker further alleged that several TETFund intervention projects meant to bridge the infrastructure gap in tertiary education were of poor quality, with some new buildings deteriorating faster than older ones.
“There is a need for the Federal Government to refurbish the first-generation universities and investigate the quality of TETFund projects to ensure value for money,” he added.
The House subsequently mandated its Committee on Tertiary Education and Services to carry out a comprehensive investigation into the quality and implementation of TETFund-funded projects and report back for further legislative action.
