The South-East caucus of the National Assembly, on Sunday, expressed concerns over the alleged exclusion of students in South-East higher institutions from the Federal Government’s student loan scheme.

But speaking with PUNCH Online, the spokesmen for the Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu; and Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam, Anambra State, said their students had applied for the student loan and were awaiting disbursement by the Nigerian Education Loan Fund.

The clarification followed NELFUND’s explanation on Friday that it was not discriminating against students from South-East higher institutions.

The fund said none of the tertiary institutions in the South-East had completed the necessary verification to enable their students to benefit from the scheme.

However, speaking with one of our correspondents on Sunday, the Public Relations Officer of the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam, Anambra State, Dr Harrison Madubueze, said the institution officially registered on the NELFUND portal on August 10 and was subsequently shortlisted on August 14.

“Well, the COOU officially registered on the NELFUND portal on August 10, and was subsequently shortlisted by the FG on August 14.

“Our efforts now are geared towards raising awareness on the need for students to enrol,” Madubueze added.

Also, ESUT’s PRO, Dr Ikechukwu Ezeanioma, told The PUNCH that the school had completed the necessary verification.

Ezeanioma explained that the verification was concluded three weeks ago but some technical challenges delayed the uploading of the verification till last Friday night.

He said, “Now we have uploaded after verification. The verification was uploaded on Friday night and the ICT Director confirmed that it had been uploaded. Though the verification was concluded about three weeks ago, there was a technical problem in the upload but eventually it was successful about two days ago.”

When contacted by The PUNCH on Sunday, the PRO of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Emmanuel Ojukwu, said he had no details about students’ application for the Federal Government’s loan.

He promised to check and give our correspondent full details today (Monday).

The Deputy Public Relations Officer of the Student Union Government of the institution, Hilary Chinedu, told our correspondent on the telephone that it was not clear if any student of the institution had received the NELFUND form or not.

“I cannot confirm if any students of the school or if students have received the NELFUND form or if they have started filling it or not until I get more details and information concerning it.

“But it is an opportunity the students would want to grab for their benefits, but this depends on whether the students in the region have also been captured.

“We understand that students from other geo-political zones have started benefitting from the exercise and there has been disbursement, we will only appeal to the authorities concerned to ensure equity and fairness for all. This is all I can say for now till I get further details.”

However, efforts to speak with the University of Nigeria Nsukka were unsuccessful as the Registrar and Director, Public Relations, Chief Okwun Omeaku, did not answer their calls.

Meanwhile, South-East lawmakers in the National Assembly, on Sunday, expressed worry that no student from the South-East benefited from the N2.95bn loans so far disbursed by the Nigerian Education Loan Fund.

It noted that 27,667 students across 19 institutions nationwide had benefitted from the scheme with none of them from the South-East.

NELFUND had on Friday debunked insinuation of being biased towards students in the South-East institutions, saying it was waiting for the institutions to complete their verification.

The agency noted that while verification requests were sent to all schools, those in the South-East had yet to complete the process, hence, the inability to disburse funds to South-East scholars.

In a statement on Sunday, the South-East Caucus in the National Assembly expressed displeasure at the development.

The statement signed by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe and Rt. Hon. Igariwey Enwo urged the region’s tertiary institutions to promptly fulfill the verification requirements.

“We 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 that are open to all Nigerians.

“Those opportunities are our right and we must, like others, demand for what rightfully belongs to us,” the lawmakers said.

The caucus stressed that participation in such national programmes was crucial for self-development and growth.

The lawmakers further underscored the need for the South-East to actively engage in and benefit from federal programmes to avoid inadvertent exclusion from opportunities that are available to other regions.

The National Assembly members reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring that the South-East does not miss out on any opportunities for development and advancement. (The PUNCH)

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