By Seyifunmi Odunuga
The Visitor to McPherson University and General Overseer, Foursquare Gospel Church, Nigeria, Rev. Samuel Aboyeji has knocked the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) for kicking against the inclusion of private Universities as beneficiaries of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (Tetfund).
He said Tetfund money is money realised from the private sector, saying it is unfair to exclude private Universities as its beneficiaries.
Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) is a body set up by the Federal Government of Nigeria to arrest the rot and deterioration in the educational infrastructure occasioned by long periods of neglect and very poor resource allocation.
Recall that ASUU, during a two-day interactive session between TETFund and all unions of beneficiary institutions kicked against plans to include private Universities as beneficiaries of financial interventions by TETFund.
ASUU said such a move would lead to the proliferation of private universities without quality.
Speaking at the commissioning of the Council of Foursquare Men (CFM) Hostel, at MacPherson University, Seriki Sotayo, Ogun State, Aboyeji stated that TETFund is taxes of private companies, not government money, oil money or federal allocation, hence the need for private Universities to also be a beneficiary.
He said, “The private sector government is realising TETFund money from are the ones bringing money to develop these private Universities when there is no assistance from the government.”
The Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Francis Igbasan while speaking about the newly commissioned hostel stated that the development of the University is paramount in his mind, saying his decisions are geared towards positioning the University among the top five best Universities in Nigeria.
He said, “The vision for the project was birthed under the leadership of Elder Churchill Ayerume, supported by all the men in the church. His successor, Deacon Akin Omolere, who was in very close contact with me when I assumed office, gave his word that CFM will give the project deserving attention.”
“With the support of God, the leadership of the Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria and the thousands of men in our movement, the project is today, a reality.”
He however thanked the leadership of the church, members of the Board of Directors, members of the National Ministerial Council, members of McPherson University’s Board of Trustees, the Governing Council, and all stakeholders in the University project.
