South East caucus of the National Assembly has decried perceived indifference by federal institutions in the region towards the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).
The lawmakers who expressed dissafection over non inclusion of students of South East higher institutions in the list of the total of N2,946,927,155 already disbursed to 27,667 from 19 institutions in the country, blamed institutions in the region for their late response to the request for the verification of the lists sent to them by NELFUND.
The statement signed by the duo Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe and Honourable Igariwey Iduma Enwo,
Leaders of the South East Senate Caucus and Caucus of the House of Representatives, respectively in the
the National Assembly “urge tertiary institutions in the South East to comply with the verification request by NELFUND, so that our children can benefit from this national programme.
The statement read in part: “The attention of the South East caucus of the National Assembly has been drawn to the glaring absence of beneficiaries from South East tertiary institutions in the list of beneficiaries of the students’ loan being disbursed on behalf of the Federal Government by the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).
“With a total of N2,946,927,155 already disbursed to 27,667 from 19 institutions in the country, South East higher institutions were conspicuously missing from the list. In its defence, NELFUND has stated that the absence of beneficiaries from South East institutions was because even though verification lists have been sent to all schools, South East institutions are yet to respond to their request for the verification of the lists sent to them.
“Consequently, the South East caucus of the National Assembly, wishes to urge tertiary institutions in the South East to comply with the verification request by NELFUND, so that our children can benefit from this national programme.
“We also wish to encourage all South East students who need this support to ensure they apply. This is important as it can help ameliorate some of the challenges limiting access to higher education, which we must all agree is critical to self-development and growth. It is important that as a people, we do not intentionally marginalise ourselves from opportunities which are open to all Nigerians. Those opportunities are our right and we must, like others, demand for what rightfully belongs to us.”