Politics
Osun: Adeleke commends Tinubu over provision of students loan
Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun state has commended President Bola Tinubu for providing financial support to indigent students in tertiary institutions across the country.
Speaking during a visit by the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), Mr. Akintunde Sawyer to his office on Tuesday, Governor Adeleke lauded the president for demonstrating political will by fast-tracking the effective take off of the students loan.
The Governor expressed his administration’s commitment to partnering with NELFUND.
He said, “We express our appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for creating this Fund as a response to the many challenges facing our student population. We commend the President for demonstrating political will by fast tracking not only the establishment of the Fund but its effective take off.
“For us as a state, we have a responsibility to productively partner with the Federal Government for the benefit of our people. When it comes to bringing dividends of democracy to our people, we are blind to partisan politics. Our focus is the improvement of the lives of our people irrespective of where it is coming from.
“We are glad our efforts paid off with the enrolment of many Osun schools in the programme. It is gratifying to hear that Osun took the lead among a comity of states in the selection and compliance process. Our next plan is to follow up by further deepening the preparedness of the selected schools for accessing opportunities available within the fund.
“Our gratitude also goes to the management of NELFUND for making the take off so efficient and for the fairness manifested during the selection process. We have strong faith in the capacity of the Fund to continue on the path of openness and equity.
“I must however call our attention to a lesson we must learn as a nation from the operation of the loans board. As a long term resident of the United States, I am aware of the challenge of student loans’ debt. It has become a crisis of sorts. It has also become a subject of hot political debate. It has to do with huge student loan debt in the US
“I task the management of NELFUND to innovate within its mandate on how to make its operations sustainable. Debt trap must never be experienced in Nigeria’s students’ loan operations.
“As a government, we also applaud Mr President for this laudable initiative.”
Mr. Sawyer, in his remarks, disclosed that Osun State has the highest number of student database that apply for Federal Government education scheme.
He said, “If all the students who are eligible in Nigeria are decide to apply for the students loans Osun state will have the highest number.”
He commended the Osun state government for their cooperation which has made it possible for the state to take the lead in the scheme.
Sawyer noted that the fund is not only targeting new students but also supporting those already in institutions, providing support for the next academic session.
According to him, “The Nigerian Education Loan Fund, (NELFUND) is here to bridge that gap. It’s a fantastic programme because this country is regarded as one of the most viable and dynamic countries on the planet. But in recent times, it has been one of the most underperforming countries, given the potential that this great nation has.
It is no mistake that we are making the best visit to the Osun State Governor. We are very proud to be here. The dynamism of this governor is second to none. You are lucky to have him in the office.
“NELFUND has been tasked with the responsibility of identifying people in this society who have the desire, who are eligible, and who qualify to go for tertiary education to improve a lot in life but don’t have the funding or the money, even when they have a secure place to be able to attend those institutions and get the best out of themselves. So that they can be more employable, they can be more useful to themselves, their families, and to this great nation.
“I can tell you today that Osun State has the highest amount of data in our database today.
“What that means is that if all the students who are eligible in Nigeria apply to all decide to apply for Osun State will have the highest number
“I must thank your Excellency for this because we reached out and the reaction we got from Osun State was so embracing, so practical, so forward-moving,” he added
