News
Echono And His Midas Touch At TETFUND
By Abubakar Sani
The Federal Government of Nigeria established the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) in 2011 to disburse, manage, and monitor education tax to public tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
TETFUND is an essential part of Nigeria’s education sector, whose success is highly dependent on a robust, transparent and accountable system that ensures resources are appropriately allocated towards achieving public service delivery in the education sector.
In recent times, the activities of the agency have continued to elicit commendation from critical stakeholders in light of the visible improvements in the fulfilment of the operational mandate of the agency. In some quarters, this has been ascribed to the exploits of its Executive Secretary, Arc. Sunny Echono.
I recall when President Muhammadu Buhari approved the appointment of Arc. Sunny Echono as the executive secretary of TETFUND, many positives were expected of the former Permanent Secretary whose performances in the Education sector had been stellar. It was expected that he would bring to the table wealth of experiences spanning diverse sectors.
A reformer to the core, his ascension to the TETFUND leadership, was another opportunity for him to showcase the instrumentality of transparency and accountability in delivering excellent results. And so far, he has not disappointed. With in-depth experience in civil service and administrative positions, Arc Echono’s obsession with exceptional service delivery has never been in doubt.
Soon after taking over the affairs of TETFUND, Echono sort to consolidate and improve upon the reforms initiated by his predecessors. He is currently addressing the challenges associated with building a solid relationship between academia and other sectors. The Echono-led administration has created an endless source of the academic workforce needed for national development through strategic innovations and programmes. To his credit, TETFUND brokered top local and international partnerships and initiated initiatives and programmes beneficial to achieving excellence in Nigeria’s Tertiary institutions.
Under Arc. Sunny Echono, TETFUND had entered strategic partnerships with notable institutions, including “The University of Brazil, Vicosa, for the training of more Nigerian professionals in agriculture, secured transnational cooperation with the government of Britain, Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) as well as the African Union (AU) in areas of research and collaboration that would aid the growth and development of tertiary education in Nigeria.
To protect the academic integrity of educational institutions and academia, it was reported that TETFUND initiated a Digitization Project Steering and Coordinating Committee with the mandate to create a national research bank to serve as a repository for academic work and to generate an extensive collation of local institutional research into Digital Repositories in line with international standards in public tertiary institutions across the country. Also, under his watch, TETFUND set up a Coordinating Secretariat to operationalize the partnership between the government, private sector and academia.
The TETFUND boss believes that transparency and accountability are also crucial in addressing some of the challenges in the operations of the agency. He argues that through greater accountability, the leaky pipes of corruption and inefficiency will be repaired, and funds will be channelled more effectively towards initiatives and programmes that will produce more significant and visible results.
True to his words, transparency and accountability have been entrenched in the operations of TETFUND. He initiated practical reforms aimed at promoting prudent spending, curbing financial leakages and wastages, and ending programmes or projects that were not productive to the agency or tertiary institutions across the country.
Arc. Echono has so far shown great courage; he does not shy away from stepping on toes in his determination to provide purposeful leadership. It is on record that the era of frivolous programmes and initiatives without benefits to the operational mandate of the agency has been discontinued and replaced with laudable programmes with an impact on the promotion of focused and transformative intervention in public Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria.
Also, in line with his agenda of accountability and transparency, Arch Echono reviewed the agency’s procurement processes to conform to standard practices and extant laws. He also championed the ongoing reorientation of the agency’s workforce through seminars and workshops to acquaint workers with the new practice. This ultimately discouraged the deployment of unethical practices within the agency.
The awards have poured in celebration of an astute administrator who has demonstrated passion and commitment to service delivery. His passion is infectious. This is evident in the improvement in workers’ morale at the agency. At TETFUND today, there is a breath of fresh air. Staffers are well motivated and it is indeed a regime of productivity at its best.
Arc Sunny Echono is silently revolutionizing TETFUND; these various stakeholders have corroborated. The position of stakeholders is that the operations of TETFUND have been rejigged and positioned for optimal results. For example, the Council of the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM) extolled the high level of professionalism demonstrated by Arc. Sunny Echono and his sound management principles and practices in running the agency affairs.
Without a doubt, Arc. Sunny Echono has provided credible leadership, which must be commended in service to the country.
Sani wrote this piece from FUT Minna.
…Commend NCDC, 20-Year North Central Development Plan
Youth groups have hailed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision for regional development following the establishment of the North Central Development Commission (NCDC) and other regional development commissions.
The groups made the commendation in separate statements on the sidelines of a stakeholders’ engagement organised by the NCDC in Abuja.
The President of the Nigerian Youth Congress, Jethro Annum, and the NYCN State Chairman of Niger State, Ambassador Abdullahi Muhammed Ishaq, who spoke on behalf of the NYCN North Central Chairmen, described the NCDC as a catalyst for development.
They said the Commission’s 20-year development plan reflects the need for long-term planning and aligns with the broader development vision of President Tinubu for the country.
Similarly, the Empowerment for Unemployed Youth Initiative (EUYI), in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Danesi Momoh, and the North Central Youth Mobilization and Sensitization (NOCYMS), led by Hon. Iorwuese Ayo Fidelis, commended the NCDC for convening a broad stakeholders’ engagement aimed at developing a clear and sustainable development direction for the region over the next 20 years.
The engagement, which brought together key stakeholders and voices from across the North Central region, was described as a significant step towards developing a plan that reflects the aspirations, realities and potential of the people.
The youth leaders described the initiative as timely and forward-looking, stressing that young people and students must remain an integral part of conversations about the future of the region.
They noted that the North Central is home to millions of young Nigerians whose energy, skills, ideas and innovation can contribute significantly to the region’s economic and social transformation when provided with the right opportunities.
“Students and young people are not only beneficiaries of development; we are also partners in building the future we desire. Any 20-year development plan for the North Central must therefore give serious attention to education, skills development, employment, entrepreneurship, technology and youth participation,” they said.
The youth representatives further assured the NCDC of their readiness to work closely with the Commission and other relevant stakeholders to advance initiatives that will create meaningful opportunities for students and young people across the region.
They expressed confidence that sustained collaboration among the Commission, governments, educational institutions, organised youth bodies, traditional institutions, the private sector and other stakeholders could help translate the region’s enormous potential into measurable and sustainable development.
…Commends Commission, Urges Quarterly Engagements
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Zone C, has called for sustained inclusion of students and young people in the North Central Development Commission’s (NCDC) 20-year development agenda.
The association made the call while commending the NCDC for convening a broad stakeholders’ engagement to shape a long-term development direction for the region.
The Coordinator of NANS Zone C, Comrade Abiola Azeez Babatunde, said students and young people must not be treated merely as beneficiaries of development, but as active partners in shaping the future of the North Central.
According to him, the region’s large youth population represents a significant pool of energy, skills, ideas and innovation that can contribute to economic and social transformation if properly harnessed.
“Students and young people are not only beneficiaries of development; we are also partners in building the future we desire,” he said.
Babatunde said any 20-year development plan for the region should give serious attention to education, skills development, employment, entrepreneurship, technology and youth participation.
He described the NCDC stakeholders’ engagement as timely and forward-looking, saying it provided an important platform for different interests across the region to contribute to the development conversation.
Also in attendance was Comrade Anzaku Shedrack CNS, Head of Emergency and Disaster Management, NANS, who represented the NANS President, Comrade Akinteye Babatunde GCNS.
Shedrack commended the Commission for the initiative and urged it to sustain similar engagements quarterly.
He also assured the NCDC that NANS was pleased with the 20-year development roadmap and would continue to support the Commission in advancing initiatives aimed at developing the region.
NANS Zone C further pledged to work with the Commission and other stakeholders to promote initiatives capable of creating opportunities for students and young Nigerians across the North Central.
The association called for continuous engagement with the student constituency, stressing that their experiences, concerns and ideas should form part of the region’s long-term development agenda.
It expressed optimism that sustained collaboration among the NCDC, governments, educational institutions, organised youth bodies, traditional institutions, the private sector and other stakeholders would help unlock the region’s potential and promote inclusive growth.
Aluta Continua, Victoria Ascerta.
Imo Lawyers for the Defence of Democracy have called on the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to stop what it termed public attacks on Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma, saying political disagreements should be resolved through democratic dialogue and constitutional means.The group made the call in a statement signed by its Secretary, Ifeoma Chukwunyere on Friday, September 18, 2026, amid what it described as increasingly personal exchanges between Wike and Uzodinma over political developments within the All Progressives Congress.The lawyers said the APC Governors’ Forum had rejected what they described as Wike’s “Rainbow Coalition” political arrangement, arguing that the disagreement should be addressed with the forum rather than through personal attacks on Uzodinma.According to the group, the forum’s position was based on concerns that the political arrangement could weaken the APC or create divided loyalty within the party.“We recognise the constitutional right of every Nigerian, including public officials and political actors, to express political opinions, criticise policies and participate in political activities,” the group said.“However, that freedom must not become a licence for personal attacks, intimidation or unnecessary escalation.”The lawyers said Uzodinma, as the governor of Imo State, should be allowed to discharge his responsibilities without political exchanges creating tension capable of affecting the peace and stability of the state.They urged Wike to desist from further public comments concerning the governor, insisting that political disagreements should focus on policies, programmes, political positions and verifiable facts rather than personal exchanges.The group also warned political actors against turning Imo State into a battleground for political supremacy.“Imo State is not a battlefield for political supremacy. Its people have the constitutional right to choose their leaders and determine their political future without undue interference, intimidation or external pressure,” it said.The lawyers further called on political parties, leaders, supporters and media platforms to avoid inflammatory language that could provoke confrontation.They urged Uzodinma to continue to operate within the Constitution and the laws of the country, while allowing relevant political and legal institutions to handle legitimate disagreements.The group also appealed to President Bola Tinubu to encourage restraint among political actors, particularly in relation to the dispute between Wike and Uzodinma.Addressing Wike directly, the lawyers said: “Mr. Minister, Imo State belongs to its people. You are not from Imo, so stay off Imo.”They stressed that disagreements over political strategies, elections, alliances and political actors in the state should be settled through democratic debate and constitutional processes.The group said it would continue to monitor developments affecting constitutional governance, democratic participation, political freedom and peace in Imo State.“Our position is simple: Democracy must prevail. The Constitution must prevail. The rule of law must prevail,” the statement added.
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