The Federal Government has approved the sum of N2 billion take-off grant for the Nigerian Army University, Biu, recently approved by the Federal Executive Council.
Executive Secretary of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Dr Abdullahi Baffa, made this known on Monday when he received the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai in his office, Abuja.
Buratai, speaking at the occasion said the University, which is a unique science and technology-oriented institution in Nigeria, would enhance the ability of the military in dealing with the insurgency and numerous security challenges confronting the nation.
The TETFund Executive Secretary told his visitor that he was duly notified of the approval of the take-off grant for the University by the Federal government.
He, however, said the fund would be released soon when the Federal government approved the disbursement of the 2018 allocations to beneficiary public tertiary institutions in the country.
He said: “The approval of the take-off grant of N2 billion has been conveyed to TETFund and we are going to issue the allocation letter immediately the 2018 intervention guidelines are approved and released to the Fund.”
He also disclosed that the Nigerian Defence Academy has received a total of N7.9 billion from the inception of TETFund in 1999, adding that only about N9 million is yet to be accessed by the Academy.
Baffa, commended the military for the successes recorded in the fight against insurgencies and in the struggle to keep the unity of the country.
The Chief of Army Staff, earlier in his remarks said that he was at TETFund with his team to thank the Executive Secretary for his support and goodwill towards the Nigerian Army University.
Buratai, said the Army had written to the Executive Secretary through the University, on some decision, which he noted might be communicated to him in respect to the establishment of the Nigerian Army University.
He added that the courtesy visit was a follow up to that, especially to inform the TETFund on the approval of N2 billion take-off grant for the University by the Federal government.
The Chief of Army commended the agency on its interventions, which he said have changed the landscape of tertiary institutions in Nigeria, given the level decay and dilapidation of infrastructures in the institutions across the country in the time past.
He said: “Your intervention has changed the educational landscape in our country. Hitherto, we used to have dilapidated infrastructures, obsolete equipment and even under-equipped but with the establishment of TETFund, a lot of changes are taking place now in our universities and Nigeria is moving to greater height in terms of educational attainment”.
He explained that the Nigerian Army University is a unique solution centre for Science and Technology as well as in military capability in terms of needed military equipment and innovation.
He said the University would support the innovativeness of the military through conduct of research in that direction, saying within the conventional sense, warfare has required more scientific and intellectual approach than in those days.
He said the University is tailored towards developing science and technology as well as military technology in the country.
He pledged that the Nigerian Army would do the country proud in running of the university just as it is doing in tackling security challenges in the country.
He said the University would further enhance the ability of the military to deal with all the security challenges scientifically and more professionally.
He said while awaiting the release of the N2 billion take-off grant approved by the Federal government, the Army has within the limit of resources available commenced work at the site.
He disclosed that the National Universities Commission (NUC) has undertaken an assessment of the University and that very soon the first set of students would be admitted for this year.
He assured that resources allocated to the University would be judiciously utilized for the purpose for which they are approved.
