Southeast universities refute claims of neglect as lawmakers raise issues

 

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

In response, spokespeople from Enugu State University of Science and Technology and Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University confirmed that their students had applied for the loan and were awaiting disbursement from the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).

NELFUND had clarified on Friday that there was no discrimination against South-East students, stating that none of the institutions in the region had completed the required verification for their students to qualify for the scheme.

Dr. Harrison Madubueze, PRO of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, reported that the university was officially registered on the NELFUND portal on August 10 and shortlisted by the Federal Government on August 14. Efforts are now focused on informing students about the enrollment process.

Dr. Ikechukwu Ezeanioma, ESUT’s PRO, mentioned that their verification was completed three weeks ago, but technical issues delayed its upload until last Friday night. The verification has now been successfully uploaded.

Emmanuel Ojukwu, PRO of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, indicated he was unaware of the students' loan applications but promised to gather more information. Hilary Chinedu, Deputy PRO of the Student Union Government, stated that he could not confirm whether students had received or filled out the NELFUND forms but emphasized the importance of ensuring fairness and access for students from all regions.

Efforts to reach the University of Nigeria Nsukka for a comment were unsuccessful as their officials did not respond.

South-East lawmakers expressed concern on Sunday over the absence of South-East students among the 27,667 beneficiaries of the N2.95 billion loan scheme. They noted that despite the funds being distributed to students from other regions, none from the South-East had received any benefits.

NELFUND reiterated that it was awaiting the completion of verification processes from South-East institutions, which was necessary for fund disbursement.

In a statement, the South-East Caucus in the National Assembly, signed by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe and Rt. Hon. Igariwey Enwo, urged regional institutions to promptly meet verification requirements. They emphasized the importance of applying for the loan to address challenges in accessing higher education and urged South-East students to actively seek available opportunities. The lawmakers reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring that the region does not miss out on development opportunities.

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