Mariam Abeeb
The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has flagged off the construction of the Abuja Leadership Centre of Excellence in Public Governance at the University of Abuja.
The Executive Secretary of TETFund, Architect Sonny Echono, conducted the foundation stone laying for the project alongside the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Professor Hakeem Babatunde Fawehinmi, at Jahi in Abuja.
Speaking at the event, Echono also disclosed that TETFund would, between now and October, commission about 467 projects across tertiary institutions nationwide.
He said leadership remains one of the most critical elements of national development, stressing that nations rise or fall based on the quality of leadership they produce.
According to him, effective leadership requires the collective harnessing of intellectual, human and material resources, adding that when these efforts are efficiently coordinated, they can drive national development aspirations.
“It is my prayer and hope that this centre will become a stopping point for every leader visiting our country. It is not by accident that it is located in the nation’s capital,” he said.
He expressed optimism that the Abuja Leadership Centre would evolve into a world-class facility capable of producing leaders to serve all sectors of the economy, while also hosting globally renowned speeches, conventions and declarations.
The TETFund Executive Secretary charged the contractors handling the project to rise to the challenge, stressing that the expectation was for a facility of international standard, assuring that TETFund would make funds available not only for the construction but also for the provision of top-quality furniture and equipment.
According to him, the centre is envisioned as more than just a conference hall or auditorium, but a world-class leadership facility where visiting heads of state and their delegations would feel at home, comparable to similar facilities anywhere in the world.
Echono commended the leadership of the University of Abuja for the stability and direction it has brought to the institution, pledging continued collaboration to realise the vision of the university’s founding fathers.
He said the university, by its name and mandate, must continue to project national unity, integration and excellence, particularly in leadership and governance.
On the commissioning of projects, he said it would be impossible for the agency to commission all projects directly, noting that at least 50 iconic projects would be selected across the states of the federation, with a minimum of two to three in each state.
He said these projects would showcase the impact of the present administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda on the transformation of Nigeria’s tertiary education landscape, inviting members of the media to participate in the nationwide commissioning exercises.
