TETFund Assessment Team Commends Federal Polytechnic Offa for Prudent Project Execution

The Federal Polytechnic Offa, yesterday hosted a delegation from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) as part of the Fund's nationwide Impact and Needs Assessment Exercise (2016–2025) aimed at evaluating the outcomes of TETFund interventions in beneficiary institutions and identifying priority areas for future support.

The assessment team, drawn from Kapital Projects and Resources Associates, the consulting firm engaged by TETFund for the North-Central Zone, was led by Professor Issa Ibrahim and comprised Dr. Salau Alaje Abdulganiyu, Baba Kabiru, and Mrs. Mujibat Abdulrasheed.

Welcoming the delegation to the Polytechnic, the Rector, Engr. Dr. Kamoru Kadiri, FNSE, expressed profound appreciation to TETFund for its sustained commitment to the growth and development of tertiary education in Nigeria. He noted that the Fund's numerous interventions had significantly transformed the institution through the provision of critical infrastructure, staff development opportunities, research grants, library enhancement programmes, and institutional capacity-building initiatives.

The Rector highlighted several achievements recorded by the Polytechnic through TETFund support and described the interventions as instrumental to the institution's academic and infrastructural advancement. While commending the Fund for its unwavering support, the Rector also brought to the attention of the assessment team some pressing needs of the institution. He appealed for intervention in the construction of an Academic Board Building, stressing its importance to the effective administration and coordination of academic activities in the Polytechnic.

He further emphasized the urgent need for the fencing of the Polytechnic campus to strengthen security, curb unauthorized access, and address threats posed by herders and other intruders. According to him, addressing these challenges would further enhance the institution's capacity to provide a safe, secure, and conducive environment for teaching, learning, research, and community service.

Earlier in his opening remarks, the Team Lead, Professor Issa Ibrahim, explained that the purpose of the visit was to assess the impact of TETFund interventions within the institution, verify completed and ongoing projects, engage stakeholders, and obtain firsthand information on the extent to which the interventions had improved teaching, learning, research, staff development, and infrastructural growth. He disclosed that the assessment exercise involved meetings with management, interviews with academic and non-teaching staff, students, labour unions, and beneficiaries of various TETFund-sponsored programmes. According to him, the interactions were designed to generate independent feedback on the effectiveness of TETFund interventions and identify areas requiring additional support.

Present at the meeting were principal officers, management, and other senior officials of the Polytechnic, including the Deputy Rector (Administration), Dr. Salimonu Rasheed Ishaq; Deputy Rector (Academics), Dr. Peter Odion Egbele; the Registrar, Mr. Gabriel Soko Oyediran; the Bursar, Mr. Moshood Tunde Yusuf; and the Polytechnic Librarian, Dr. Stephen Babalola.

Others included Tpl. Abdullahi Giwa (Acting Director, Physical Planning), Engr. Lateef Bello (Acting Director, Works and Services), Mr. Samuel Oluwasogo (Acting Director, ICT), Barr. E. K. Babatunde (Deputy Registrar, Council Affairs), Mr. E. D. Ige (Deputy Registrar, NTHRU), Mr. Joseph Balogun (Deputy Registrar, Rectory), Mrs. Adeyeye Medinat (Deputy Registrar, ASHRU), Mr. Patrick Obioha (Chief Accountant, TETFund), and Mr Olayinka Iroye (Deputy Registrar, Information and Public Relations) among several other staff members.

Other Directors and Desk Officers who joined the interactive session included Engr. Dr. Waheed Balogun, Mr Wasiu Folorunsho, Barrister Esther Faremi, Mr. Fatai Kolawole, Engr. Dr. Kehinde Olufemi, Dr. (Mrs.) Fatima Ibrahim, Mr. Sherifdeen Alabi, and Dr. Taofik Usman, among others.

As part of the exercise, the delegation conducted separate interviews and focus group discussions with Principal Officers, TETFund Desk Officers, academic staff, non-teaching staff, students, labour unions, and beneficiaries of TETFund-sponsored interventions. Beneficiaries of TETFund training, conferences, scholarships, and academic development programmes shared their experiences and attested to the positive impact of the Fund on their professional growth, academic advancement, and productivity.

Following the interactive session, members of the assessment team and the Polytechnic Management proceeded on an extensive inspection tour of TETFund-funded projects and facilities within the institution. During the tour, the delegation assessed the condition and utilisation of the facilities and received briefings on their contributions to academic excellence, research activities, and administrative efficiency.

The visit culminated in an exit interview session during which the assessment team presented its preliminary observations. Speaking at the session, Professor Issa Ibrahim expressed satisfaction with the level of development recorded by the institution and commended the Management for its prudent deployment of TETFund interventions. The Team Lead remarked that The Federal Polytechnic Offa, was the most comprehensive institution visited by the assessment team so far during the exercise. He particularly praised the remarkable infrastructural transformation witnessed across the Polytechnic, especially on the main campus, noting that the pace and quality of development compared very favourably with those of several peer institutions visited by the team.

Professor Ibrahim further commended the Management for the effective utilisation, maintenance, and sustainability of TETFund-funded projects and interventions, describing the institution as a worthy example of accountability and value-driven implementation of intervention programmes.

Delivering the vote of thanks on behalf of the institution, the Registrar, Mr. Gabriel Soko Oyediran, expressed appreciation to the TETFund delegation for the successful assessment exercise and lauded the Fund for its continued support towards the advancement of the Polytechnic and tertiary education in Nigeria.

The programme concluded with a closing prayer, and a group photograph involving members of the assessment team and the Polytechnic Management.

Report by Chidinma Nene and Mercy Jaiyeola

Photographs by Fuad Adesina