The visitor to McPherson University and General Overseer of Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria, Rev. Samuel Aboyeji, has criticised the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) for opposing the inclusion of private universities as beneficiaries of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).
He said Tetfund money comes from the private sector, and excluding private universities as beneficiaries is unfair.
The 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 caused by long periods of neglect and poor resource allocation.
Recall that ASUU, during a two-day interactive session between TETFund and all unions of beneficiary institutions, opposed plans to include private Universities as beneficiaries of TETFund’s financial interventions.
ASUU said such a move would lead to the proliferation of private universities that lack 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 beneficiaries.
He said, “The private sector government is realising that TETFund money is coming from 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 to him, saying his decisions are geared towards positioning the University among the top five 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.
