SENATE AND CELEBRITY

SENATE, yesterday, revealed that about N200 bil­
lion education tax collected between 2012 and
2013 were diverted to unknown and unspecified
uses not recognised in or permitted under the
Act setting up the Education Trust Fund.
The funds were diverted during former presidnt
Goodluck Jonathan’s administration. A probe was
subsequently ordered.
The revelation was contained in a motion spon­
sored by Senator Abdullahi Aliyu.
Senator Aliyu noted that some institutions got
multiple allocations of special intervention, while
institutions that are their peers did not receive
any within the period under review.
“About N200 billion of education tax collected be­
tween 2012 and 2013 were diverted.
“Tertiary Education Trust Fund Board granted a
loan to the Federal Ministry of Education and also
organised a workshop and pre-retreat in the
United States of America and Kenya in
2014-2015 without recourse to guidelines of the
Act.
“About N500 million was budgeted for
advertising and media in the 2015 budget which
contravenes the rehabilitation, restoration and
consolidation of tertiary education in Nigeria, in
accordance with Section 3(1) of the Tertiary
Education Trust Fund Act 2011.”
Attempts by Senator James Manager to convince
the Senate to extend the probe beyond 2011
failed. He had argued that it was unfair for the
Senate to single out Jonathan’s administration
for scrutiny. He posited that it should be
extended to 1999 to exhaustively cover all the
areas.
Regardless, Senate mandated its Committee on
Tertiary Institutions and Testfund to invite the
fund’s executive secretary to appear before it to
explain and clarify issues of misappropriation of
the fund. The committee is expected to report
back to the Senate within one month

Source sun news page                                           Before now, there was rumour making

rounds online that Tonto Dikeh is

pregnant, the actress has now confirmed

the report with a photo she posted and

deleted on social media.

Tonto Dikeh her husband, Olanrewaju Churchill.

Rumour making rounds online in recent times

allege that popular Nollywood actress, Tonto

Dikeh is pregnant after the photos from her

traditional wedding ceremony surfaced on social

media.