Arc. Sonny Echono | |
---|---|
9th Executive Secretary of TETFund | |
Assumed office 18 March 2022 | |
Nominated by | Board of TETFund |
Appointed by | Muhammad Buhari |
Preceded by | Suleiman Elias Bogoro |
28th President of the Nigerian Institute of Architects | |
In office 2019–2021 | |
Preceded by | Amina Mohammed |
Succeeded by | Enyi Ben-Eboh |
Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education | |
In office 2017–2022 | |
Preceded by | MacJohn Nwaobiala |
Succeeded by | Andrew David Adejoh |
Personal details | |
Born | Sunday Sylva Togo Echono 16 December 1962 |
Nationality | Nigerian |
Education | St. Mary’s Primary School St. Theresa’s and St. Murumba’s College, |
Alma mater | University of Calabar University of Turin Ahmadu Bello University Benue State Polytechnic |
Occupation | Architect |
Sunday Sylva Togo Echono OON (born 16 December 1962) is a Nigerian diplomat,and architect who serves as the 9th Executive Secretary of Tertiary Education Trust Fund from 2022 till-date. Previously,Echono served as the Secretary of the Admissions Committee of the Nigerian Institute of Architects and the 28th President of the Nigerian Institute of Architects from 2019 to 2021. [1]
Sunday Sylva Togo Echono was born on 16 December 1962 in Otukpo,Benue State. He attended St. Mary’s Primary School in Otukpo for his primary education and St. Theresa’s and St. Murumba’s College in Jos for his secondary education. He joined Murtala College of Arts,Science,and Technology (now. Benue State Polytechnic) in Makurdi for his ‘A’Levels (JAMB / WAEC),and later pursued a degree in Architecture at Ahmadu Bello University,where he graduated with a BSc. in Architecture in 1983 and an MSc. in 1985. [2]
Echono began his career as an Architect with the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing in 1987, [3] and was elevated in 2005 as the Deputy Director of the ministry. [3] As a civil servant,he served in different ministries including the National Housing Policy as secretary of the Implementation Committee from 1991 to 1994, [3] Member and Secretary of the Special Project Task Force from 1992 to 1993. In 1993,he became acting Chief Executive Architect and joined the Secretary Committee on Lands and Housing,and Assistant to Permanent Secretary from 1994 to 1995. He became Secretary of the Ministerial Tenders Board from 2004 to 2005. [3]
From 2007 to 2008,he serves as the Deputy Director of the Budget Monitoring and Price Intelligence Unit. Echono became Director of Procurement of the Federal Ministry of Defence from 2008 to 2010. In 2010,he served as Director of Procurement of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources till 2011 and served as Director of Procurement of the Federal Ministry of Environment till 2014. In 2014,he served as Director of Procurement of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and was elevated to the Director of Procurement of the Federal Ministry of Power in the same year. [3] He became the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture from 2014 to 2016. [3]
Echono served as the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Communications from 2015 to 2017. [4] In 2017,He was appointed Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education,where he served until his retirement in 2022.
On 2 March 2022,he was appointed Executive Secretary of Tertiary Education Trust Fund by the 15th President of Nigeria,Muhammad Buhari. [5] On 4 March 2022,Echono received approval from Tertiary Education Trust Fund as the new executive secretary. [6] on 18 March 2022,he resumed office following the end of Suleiman Elias Bogoro administration. [5] Under his administration,TETFund entered strategic partnerships with notable institutions,including the University of Brazil,for the training of more Nigerian professionals in agriculture,secured transnational cooperation with the government of Britain,Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa,Nigerian Economic Summit Group,African Union in areas of research and collaboration that would aid the growth and development of tertiary education in Nigeria. [7] On 18 July 2023,he appeared before the house of representatives ad hoc committee investigating the alleged abuse of N2.3 trillion tertiary education tax by TETFund. He tells the committee “over 137 scholars sponsored abroad by the fund have absconded”. [8]
Other activities include: [1]
Benue River,previously known as the Chadda River or Tchadda,is the major tributary of the Niger River. Almost its entire length of approximately 1,400 kilometres (870 mi) is navigable during the summer months. The size of its catchment basin is 319,000 km2 (123,000 sq mi). As a result,it is an important transportation route in the regions through which it flows. The name Benue comes from Binuwe meaning 'Mother of Waters’in the Batta language.
Benue State is one of the North Central states in Nigeria with a population of about 4,253,641 in the 2006 census. The state was created in 1976 among the seven states created at that time. The state derives its name from the Benue River which is the second largest river in Nigeria after the River Niger. The state borders Nasarawa State to the North;Taraba State to the East;Kogi State to the West;Enugu State to the South-West;Ebonyi and Cross-Rivers State to the South;and has an international border with Cameroon to the South-East. It is inhabited predominantly by the Tiv,Idoma,and Igede. Minority ethnic groups in Benue are Etulo,Igbo,Jukun peoples etc. Its capital is Makurdi. Benue is a rich agricultural region;common crops include oranges,mangoes,sweet potatoes,cassava,soya bean,guinea corn,flax,yams,sesame,rice,groundnuts,and palm trees.
George Akume;born 27 December 1953) is a Nigerian politician who is the 21st and current Secretary to the Government of the Federation,appointed by President Bola Tinubu. He served as Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs during the tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari from 2019 to 2023. He was the Senator representing Benue North-West Senatorial District from 2007 to 2019. He was also the Minority Leader of the Senate from June 2011 to June 2015. He served as the Governor of Benue State from May 1999 to May 2007.
The Federal University of Agriculture,Abeokuta is one of the higher institutions of learning owned and run by the Federal government of Nigeria.
Otukpo is a town in Benue State,Nigeria located in the Middle Belt Region of Nigeria. It is also the eponymous name of a subgroup of the Idoma people. Otukpo is the headquarters of the Otukpo Local Government Area. It was the headquarters of the former Idoma Province,and remains an important town in Idomaland,an area mainly populated by the Idoma speaking people,though with numerous local dialects spoken in the diverse reaches of Idoma land. Otukpo Idoma language is the umbrella lingua.
Sarah Omotunde Alade is a Nigerian economist. She was acting governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria during the suspension of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi. She was appointed to the post by president Goodluck Jonathan on 20 February 2014. She held this position until the appointment of Godwin Emefiele in June 2014. She served as deputy governor,Central Bank of Nigeria from 26 March 2007 to 22 March 2017.
Federal University Gashua (FUGashua) is a university based in Yobe State,northeastern Nigeria. It is a learning and research institution that seeks to solve the immediate needs of society and give every person the opportunity to acquire knowledge.
Umar Buba Bindir is a Nigerian agricultural engineer and currently,Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Adamawa State of Nigeria
Patrick Abba Moro is a Nigerian educational administrator,politician and former Minister of the Federal Ministry Of Interior. He is currently the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman Governing Council of the University of Agriculture,Makurdi. In 2019,he was elected into the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria replacing David Mark,a two-term senate president and one of the longest serving Senators in Nigeria.
Ochapa C. Onazi is a Professor of Agricultural Education and former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Jos,Nigeria. Ochapa Onazi was educated at the Boys’Secondary School,Gindiri,and the Nigerian College of Arts,Science and Technology,Zaria. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science (BSc) and Master of Science (MSc) from the University of London and a Diploma from Imperial College (DIC) London. Ochapa Onazi graduated with a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Agricultural Education from Kansas State University,United States of America (USA),where he was supervised by Professor Robert Johnson.
Benson Abounu is a Nigerian politician who served as the Deputy Governor of Benue State,Nigeria from 29 May 2015 to 29 May 2023. He was elected as the running mate to Governor Samuel L. Ortom in 2015 under the All Progressive Congress (APC). He is an engineer,a management consultant and a politician.
Fatima Batul Mukhtar is a Nigerian academician,a professor of botany and the current Vice Chancellor of Azman University Kano. Her research interest are centered on "growth regulation,biostatistics,biotechnology and plant conservation". she was appointed Vice Chancellor of Federal University Dutse by President Muhammadu Buhari. she served between 2016 and 2021.
Mike Okibe Onoja is a Nigerian Businessman,and a public administrator from Ado LGA,Benue state. The Chairman (CEO) of Monsoons Resources Investment International Limited and Century court Apartments,Century Petroleum Ltd,Shipping line,Shares with Valero Energy,ConocoPhillips,COSCO Shipping Universe,NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA),Zenith Bank,British Airways,ExxonMobil and many more. "Monsoons resources Investment International". Monsoons Resources Investment International. Archived from the original on 22 October 2016. Retrieved 17 October 2018.</ref>He also holds chieftaincy title as the Akanaba K'Idoma.
Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba is a Nigerian politician and lawyer. He was the Minister of State for Education of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. from 2019 and resigned on April 28,2022,after receiving an APC Expression of Interest and Nomination form to aspire for President of Nigeria in 2023 election donated by Project Nigeria Group. He has previously served as the Chairman of TETFund Board of Trustees.
Kyuka Lilymjok is a Nigerian writer,political thinker,philosopher,and professor of law at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU),Zaria,Nigeria.
Blessing Onyeche Onuh is a Nigerian politician from Benue State. She represents Otukpo/Ohimini Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives. She is the daughter of former Senate President David Mark.
The 2023 Benue State gubernatorial election took place on 18 March 2023,to elect the Governor of Benue State,concurrent with elections to the Benue State House of Assembly as well as twenty-seven other gubernatorial elections and elections to all other state houses of assembly. The election —which was postponed from its original 11 March date —was held three weeks after the presidential election and National Assembly elections. Incumbent PDP Governor Samuel Ortom was term-limited and could not seek re-election to a third term. Hyacinth Alia —a suspended Catholic priest —gained the office for the APC by a 33% margin over PDP nominee House of Assembly Speaker Titus Uba.
Maduebibisi Ofo Iwe is a Nigerian academic,author,and Professor of Food Science and Extrusion Technology. He is serving as the sixth substantive Vice-Chancellor of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture,Umudike. He assumed office on 1 March 2021.
Suleiman Elias Bogoro is a professor of Animal Science,specializing in Biochemistry and Ruminant Nutrition,who served as the 5th and 8th Executive Secretary of Tertiary Education Trust Fund in Nigeria.
Abdullahi Baffa Bichi is a Nigerian academic and politician who served as the Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) from 2016 to 2019. He was also appointed as the Secretary to the State Government of Kano State in 2023 by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.