Kinsmen of the Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETfUND), Arc Sonny Echono have called on President Bola Tinubu not to heed to the ethnic agenda of some groups to cast aspersion and malign his person and office to achieve a sectional agenda.
Making the call at a press briefing in Otukpo, Benue State on Saturday the kinsmen known as AOJOKO K’OTUKPO (Special Advisers to the paramount ruler of Otukpo kingdom) numbering 15 said that recent attacks on Echono were aimed at rubbishing the president ‘s ‘ Renewed Hope Agenda’ ‘epitomised in the workings of the present TETFUND.’
Echono who hails from Benue State is of Idoma ethnic group.
In the speech titled ‘TETFUND And The Enemies Of Progress: Let Arc. Sonny Echono Breathe’ and read by the chairman, Ojoko Dave Ekwo described as ‘unfounded, malicious and unscrupulous allegations’ been branded against Echono.
The kinsmen who noted that the current allegations which border on his awarding a job order in the absence of a Board asked if Tetfund has to be at standstill in the absence of board.
They noted that the consistent attacks on Echono were as a result of Echono avowed posture to make Tetfund a better performing organ but which has attracted enemies to him and were bent on making sure that he is either removed or made permanently uncomfortable in the performance of his work.
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They said, “Upon resumption at TETFUND, Arc Sonny Echono identified and sacked non-performing contractors; closed down or reduced the sizes of some departments for optimal performance; streamlined the administration to block financial leakages and save costs; and gave marching orders to underperforming departments.
” All these were aimed at fighting corruption. And, in the Nigerian context, corruption has been fighting back ever since.
“Arc Sonny Echono should be left alone to continue advancing the horizons of our educational development by rejuvenating dilapidated facilities and infrastructure in tertiary institutions, for which he is already being applauded.
“The enemies of progress should let him continue invigorating the spirit of research and publications which he has successfully reactivated after many years in the doldrums.
“Echono must be left to continue to enhance the morale of educators and foster conditions conducive for effective teaching and learning, an area very dear to his heart.
“More instructive is the vote of confidence recently passed in the TETFUND Executive Secretary by the Arewa Youth Association and numerous Civil Society Organisations across Nigeria, who described Arc Sonny Echono’s strides as “unparalleled “.
“We call on all well intentioned patriotic Nigerians to rise up against the pull-him-down syndrome masquerading in frivolous allegations against a respected performer, a man who has rightly been described as a Progressive Innovator by the President of the African Development Bank, Dr Akinwumi Adesina.
“We call on the Hon Minister of Education to protect the future of our tertiary institutions.
“We call on the President and Commander-in-Chief, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to disregard these ethnic based attempt to rubbish his Renewed Hope Agenda epitomised in the workings of the present TETFUND, especially its Executive Secretary, Arc Sonny Togo Echono.
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