Dr Abdullahi Baffa, Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), said it disbursed N133.84 billion between January and December 2018 to public institutions in the country.

Baffa made this disclosure at a media chat with journalists in Abuja on Friday.

He said public universities got N66.93 billion, public polytechnic got N32.37 billion, and Colleges of Education got N32.65 billion while other institutions got N1.89 billion.

He added that the fund reaped the benefits of its 2017 projects proposal defence and access clinic institutions in 2018 with about 49 per cent increase in access of intervention fund by beneficiary institutions.

He said that access increased from 93.5 billion in 2017 to N133.84 billion in 2018.

Baffa added that the fund had also granted approval for the commencement of 226 new projects across public institutions.

He noted that the fund had disbursed 329 first tranches, 112 second tranches and 189 final tranches of projects across the beneficiary institutions landscape.

“This means that a total of 189 physical infrastructure projects have been completed in 2018, while 112 are at various levels of completion.

“To ensure prompt utilisation of completed physical infrastructure by institutions, we ensured, through monitoring visits, that such projects executed in 2018 included all essential components (building, equipment, furniture and landscaping/external work).”

“While supplies of heavy or sophisticated equipment included installation, training and commissioning of projects. We have inspected and monitored 361 project sites across the country; 301 projects were found satisfactory and disbursements for their subsequent tranches were effected.”

“Only 60 projects were queried as a result of some infractions and the instructions were directed to address the infractions before such projects are cleared for subsequent disbursement’’.

He, therefore, said that only 37 institutions applied for reprioritisation of their projects.

The executive secretary said a total of 3,247 scholarships were granted to academic staff of University, polytechnic and colleges of education to study for Masters and Ph.D at home and abroad among others.

Baffa further said the board of trustees of the fund approved the enlistment of 16 new beneficiary institutions in 2018 after meeting all requirements of enlistment.

The institutions are: Nigerian Army University, Biu, Ondo State University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa, First Technical University, Ibadan, Airforce Institute of Technology, Kaduna and Binyaminu Usman Polytechnic, Hadejia.

Others are College of Education, Billiri, Gombe State, College of Education, Kangere, Bauchi state, College of Education, Lanlate, Oyo State, Federal Polytechnic Ukana, Akwa Ibom and Gateway Polytechnic, Sapaade, Ogun.

Included in the list are: Ogun State Institute of Technology, Igbesa, Ogun, Federal Polytechnic Ile-Oluji, Ondo State, Oke-Ogun Polytechnic, Eruwa, Oyo State, University of Medical Science, Ondo State and Enugu State Polytechnic, Iwollo, Enugu. (NAN)