Abuja — The Federal Government has flagged off the construction of the Abuja Leadership Centre of Excellence in Public Governance at the Yakubu Gowon University in Abuja.
The Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono, conducted the foundation stone laying for the project alongside the vice-chancellor of the university, Prof. Hakeem Babatunde Fawehinmi, at Jahi in Abuja Wednesday.
At the event, Echono disclosed that TETFund would, between now and October, inaugurate 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.
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
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 Nigerians 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.
