FG, ASUU collaborate to probe corruption among university VCs

The Federal Government has joined forces with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to investigate public university vice-chancellors accused of corruption and mismanagement of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) allocations.

ASUU raised concerns about weak supervision of vice-chancellors in implementing TETFund projects, highlighting cases where funds meant for academic development were misused. The union’s president, Chris Piwuna, spoke at the public presentation of 72 TETFund-sponsored academic textbooks in Abuja on Wednesday, stressing the need for accountability.

“Yes, there is plenty of money being given to universities in recent years. Sadly, many of them have not utilised it effectively. Some have mismanaged it, while others have diverted it for purposes other than intended,” Piwuna said.

He noted that TETFund recently added six new Centres of Excellence to the existing 30, many of which perform below expectations. “We are going to turn our searchlights on the VCs and our universities soon. Funds are not being properly managed at the university level, and we will ensure accountability,” he added.

Supporting the initiative, the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa emphasized the need for stronger oversight. “Several of our Vice Chancellors, Rectors, and Provosts are running the institutions like an empire. We need ASUU’s help to ensure fiduciary responsibilities are met and that funds are used as intended,” he stated.

Established under the Tertiary Education Trust Fund Act 2011, TETFund supplements funding for government-owned universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education through a two percent education tax levied on registered companies. Its mandate covers infrastructure, instructional materials, equipment, research, and academic staff development to enhance learning environments and academic quality.

Over the years, stakeholders have both praised TETFund’s support for public institutions and called for stronger oversight to ensure proper utilisation of resources, prompting debates on accountability and project execution at the institutional level.