The Tertiary Education Trust Fund has made concerted efforts to eradicate obstacles obstructing execution of projects in tertiary institutions.
According to the Nation, this was made known by the Executive Secretary, TETFund, Sonny Echono, during a two-day TETFund desk officers’ workshop dubbed, ‘Improving TETFund Intervention Programmes and Processes in Tertiary Institutions’, held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Tuesday.
TETFund disclosed that its desk officers of the beneficiary institutions must be equipped and knowledgeable about its operational guidelines to accomplish its commission.
Echono, who was represented by TETFund Zonal Coordinator, Southsouth, Aminu Dumburi, identified the significant roles of desk officers in the conception, reconciliation and implementation of the Fund’s programmes and process.
He explained that the workshop was introduced to enable stakeholders achieve transparency and effectiveness in accessing TETFund interventions.
He said, “You are the critical interface or intermediary between the Fund and your chief executives, who are the accounting officers of the intervention allocations. The significance of this workshop can, therefore, not be overemphasised.”
“It becomes even more glaring when we consider the synergy and continuous interaction needed between the Fund and your institutions, as reflected in the frequency of submissions and communications we have with your institutions on a daily basis.
“I hope the essence of this workshop, which is to engage, dialogue, discuss and challenge us on ways in which we will improve in our operations and smoothen the process of accessing interventions and their implementation by our beneficiary institutions is realised.”
Echono explained that desk officers is the intermediary between the beneficiary institutions and the Fund regarding activities and interventions from the beginning to the end of the project.
He said, “The desk officers are responsible for the day-to-day operations that exist between the Fund and the institutions and are, therefore, positioned strategically to perform tasks and functions that require that they are fully informed on the nature and methods of TETFund operations always. As a result, the desk officers of our institutions are expected to be fully equipped and knowledgeable about our guidelines and mandate.
“This workshop is expected to bridge the gaps between the Fund and our beneficiary institutions regarding our procedures and processes with regards to our intervention lines.
“There shall be presentations by the departments of the Fund that process and reconcile these intervention lines. These presentations shall update us about new policies or changes in our operations or personnel where necessary.
“It is my hope that at the end of the workshop, the heads of our public tertiary institutions and desk officers will be equipped with the knowledge of the relevant guidelines, procedures and processes of the Fund.”
