TETFund lays foundation of Gombe federal varsity’s senate building

TETFund lays foundation of Gombe federal varsity’s senate building

The Tertiary Education Trust Fund on Friday unveiled a series of strategic infrastructure projects at the Federal University of Kashere, Gombe State, including the foundation laying of a N4 billion Senate Building, approved by President Bola Tinubu.

Speaking during the ceremony held in Kashere village, Akko Local Government Area of the state, TETFund Executive Secretary, Sonny Echono, said the new projects underscore the Federal Government’s sustained investment in higher education infrastructure.

Echono revealed that the Senate Building was part of the President’s broader commitment to repositioning the nation’s tertiary institutions through targeted funding and support.

“TETFund remains firmly committed to supporting institutions like FUK with the necessary resources to grow and thrive.

“In the last two and a half years alone, we have completed and inaugurated 687 capital projects in various higher institutions across Nigeria, reflecting the scale of our intervention”, he said.

The Senate Building will feature a ground floor with 28 offices and an archive, a first floor with 30 offices, a second floor housing 33 offices, and a third floor accommodating the Council Chamber, two committee offices, and Council Affairs offices. It will also house the offices of the Vice-Chancellor, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), and other top administrators.

Tinubu, represented by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, described the event as a landmark step towards strengthening educational infrastructure and expanding access to quality higher education across the country.

According to him, the Federal University of Kashere is not only advancing academic excellence but is also a catalyst for socio-economic transformation in the region.

In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of FUK, Prof. Umaru Pate, commended TETFund’s consistent support to the university, revealing that three other major projects were also completed with the agency’s funding:

A Postgraduate Students’ Hostel was built under the 2022 TETFund annual intervention at a cost of N350.5 million.

A 500-capacity Lecture Theatre was completed under the 2022 capital intervention, costing N393.4 million.

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The construction and furnishing of the College of Medical Sciences Complex, funded under the 2023 intervention, at a cost of N1.38 billion.

Pate further announced that the Medical College has been named after the late Prof. Jibril Aminu, in honour of his exceptional contributions to medicine and education in Nigeria.

Governor Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State, who inaugurated the 500-seater Lecture Theatre, expressed appreciation to TETFund and the federal government for their sustained support to the university.

“Federal University of Kashere has made remarkable strides in a relatively short period, thanks to the collaboration between government and intervention agencies like TETFund,” the governor said.

Other highlights of the event included the inauguration of the Postgraduate Hostel and the Jibril Aminu Medical College Complex by Prof. Pate. Senator Danjuma Goje, representing Gombe Central, commissioned the hostel for the College of Medical Sciences. Punch