VOICE AIR MEDIA News Update

THE Federal Government of Nigeria has described as alarming the number of university lecturers who were sponsored to study abroad under the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) but have absconded.

Sonny Echono, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, disclosed this while speaking with newsmen during the TETFund management retreat held in Makurdi, Benue State.

Echono said TETFund would compel the absconded lecturers to either refund the money spent on them or be repatriated.

“I don’t want to give figures because it is alarming. It is very sad that this opportunity that is being given is being abused,” Echono said.

Speaking further, he said: “The figure is comprehensive. That is why it is a bit large because others have come back home but did not complete the minimum [years] of their bond before deciding to relocate or [join] what is called the Japa syndrome.

“We have a database now, which we are refining each time because the institutions are the ones submitting the report. Although it is difficult to get accurate reports, for some, it is not that they absconded; they exceeded their course period. But some have extensions in their programmes. We have a very good idea and the number is not encouraging and I can tell you that even the security agencies are becoming interested and they are looking at that.”