…as students want NELFUND to expand responsibility to accommodation
By Joseph Erunke,Abuja
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund,NELFUND, Akintunde Sawyerr, says the Fund will address genuine concerns of students that fall within its constitutional mandate.
He assured that some challenges being faced by students of public tertiary institutions in the country outside school fees would be looked into with a view to addressing them.
Sawyerr explained that President Bola Tinubu’s aim of establishing NELFUND was to alleviate the suffering of students through interventions in some critical aspects of their studies, one of which he said, was offering of interest- free loans.
The NELFUND boss gave the assurance as some students who are beneficiaries of the ongoing federal government’s students loan scheme domiciled in the fund, appealed for expansion of the scheme to cover accommodation costs.
Even as they appreciated the government for establishing the scheme to assuage their sufferings occasioned by school fees, the students insisted that the assignment of NELFUND should not be limited to offering loans to students, as according to them, accommodation challenge is one serious issue they are facing.
Speaking when the NELFUND boss led the Fund’s team to Jos, Plateau State, on sensitization exercise,the students thanked the federal government for bringing succour to them through NELFUND.
The Students Union Government, SUG President of the University of Jos, Miss Jane Pwajok, speaking at the event held at Government House, Jos and had the state governor, Caleb Mutfwang and the heads of various public tertiary institutions in attendance, appealed to the Fund to consider extending the scheme to cover students’ accommodation expenses.
Pwajok, a sixth-year medical student,who was visibly excited that the NELFUND team was in the state for such crucial exercise, revealed that her personal interactions with numerous students who have successfully secured the loan have further reinforced her conviction that the initiative is genuine and not a scam.
She said: “Recently, we had exams, which concluded three weeks ago. And I can say that a very good number of the students applied and got their funds disbursed. In fact, those who had not gotten their school fees disbursed but had it approved or verified, were also allowed to write, hoping that NELFUND will subsequently disburse.
“So if they were doubting the disbursement of the fund, I don’t think the university authorities would have allowed them to write without seeing the funds.”
According to her, “Doubting Thomases are playing themselves. If anyone thinks that NELFUND is a scam I don’t think that’s the right way to go, especially because it’s an avenue for you to get stipends monthly and get your school fees being paid without any hitch. I think it’s a very beautiful initiative that students should honestly patronize”.
Another student of the University of Jos who identified himself as Dauda Shupkuk, and a third-year student of History and International Studies, commended NELFUND for the initiative.
He said:”I’m a beneficiary of NELFUND. My school fees was paid this session. “About N135,000. And I received N20,000 monthly as upkeep. I have received twice I’m waiting for this month”.
Shupkuk, who is also the Secretary General of his school ‘s SUG ,said, “It has caused a lot of relief. My mother sponsors me. It is helpful to her because at least she can divert the funds that she used for me to other issues.
He emphasised the need for the agency to consider expanding its support services to address the pressing issue of accommodation challenges faced by students.
Even as he noted that providing financial assistance for tuition fees is a significant step, he nonetheless, tasked the government on accommodation.
“There is a lot a accommodation problems in the University of Jos. We are over 40,000 students and we have limited hostel spaces; so that can help. They could help us with accommodation. It’s possible”,he said.
He encouraged those who are doubtful to take advantage of the opportunity, as it has made a significant positive impact on his own academic pursuits.
According to him, “NELFUND is real. It has zero interest. And I don’t see a problem with that. I have hope for my future. I can pay that money back. And the way the country is going, it is losing value. So if the money is losing value, you don’t have any reason to doubt NELFUND. I’m a beneficiary. And I can attest to it.”
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