Business
NELFUND: Gov. Otti calls for more advocacy in Abia
The Regional Advocacy team of the National Education Loan Funds (NELFUND), ed by the Director, Engr. Nneamaka Okafor, has concluded its advocacy visit to Abia state aimed at seeking partnership with the state government in sensitizing the people of the state about the students’ loan.
The move was triggered by the low list of students who have been applying for the facility from the South East geo-political zone of the country, since its inception.
Speaking during the audience with the Abia state governor, Dr. Alex Otti, Engr. Okafor explained to the governor that the opportunity for accessing the students’ loan started in April 2024, pointing out that the loan is for students in government institutions of higher learning, including universities , polytechnics and colleges of education.
She further announced that the loan which is interest -free is expected to be paid back within 10 years starting from 2 years after the beneficiary would have completed his youth service.
She, however, appreciated the giant strides of Governor Alex Otti in various sectors of the economy, describing him as one who has performed miracle in Abia state under two years.
Otti with Director and delegates from NELFUND
She used the forum to request for a space for an officice accommodation.
Receiving the delegation at Government House, Umuahia Governor Otti called for adequate sensitization on the merits of the NELFUND for Nigerian students in institutions of higher learning.
He said that if the people are well – informed about the programme they would likely participate and access the students’ loan to enable them pursue their academic dreams.
He said that an average Igbo man has an attitude towards loan, hence, the need for the advocacy.
“You see our people have this attitude towards loan except if they’ve tried everything. Because once you are owing, even the business people when they borrow they want to pay back,” he said.
“This is where advocacy comes in. I am not too sure that our people know that it is interest – free. Maybe. they know, but their attitude towards borrowing still has something to do with it. I think we need to sensitize them.
“Maybe we need to do a little bit more because this is a very good initiative particularly for students who are from indigent homes.
“So, I am sure that if our people understand clearly that nobody would be chasing them to pay back the loan when they have no means of livelihood .
“So, we need to do a whole lot more in Abia State University, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike even though it is a federal university.”
Governor Alex Otti charged the Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Professor Uche Emeh Uche to take it upon herself to push the advocacy aggressively across the tertiary institutions in the State.
He assured the Director Regional Advocacy, National Education Loan Funds that Abia State is ready to assist in the area of proving space for the agency to have its of in the state as well as provide every other necessary logistics for the smooth operation of the office .
The governor used the opportunity to inform the gathering that since the introduction of free education at primary and Junior secondary school- levels in the State, there has been an upsurge in the schools in terms of enrollments and the policy is working effectively.
“Since we started in January this year, there has been an upsurge in registration. Initially we were thinking we will have to enforce it. So, we said, if you are of school age and we see you hawking banana and groundnut, we will arrest you and exchange you with your parents.
“What we found is that schools are busting and there is nobody to arrest, people want to go to school ,” Gov. Otti stated.
The Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Professor Emeh Uche, the of Rector Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic Aba, Dr. Christopher Okoro were among top government officials present at the visit.
