Otti advocates for adequate sensitization on NELFUND, says Abia kids want to go to school
By: Imo Thomas -Umuahia.
Dr. Alex Otti, the Governor of Abia state, has called for adequate sensitization on the merits of the National Education Loan Funds (NELFUND) for Nigerian students in institutions of higher learning, stating that children from the state want to go to school.
Otti made the call on Friday when he received in the audience a delegation of the Director, Regional Advocacy, National Education Loan Funds, Engr. Nneamaka Okafor.
He said that evidence has proved that Abia children know the importance of education and, if properly informed about the program, would likely participate in the program and access the students’ loans to enable them to pursue their academic dreams.
He said that an average Igbo man has an attitude towards loans, hence the need for advocacy.
“You see, our people have this attitude towards loans except if they’ve tried everything. Because once you are owing, even business people when they borrow they want to pay it back.
“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,” Gov. Otti stated.
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 of Regional Advocacy, National Education Loan Funds, that Abia State is ready to assist in the area of providing space for the agency to have its office in the state as well as provide every other necessary logistics for the smooth operation of the office.
Speaking earlier, the Director of Regional Advocacy, National Education Loan Funds, Engr. Nneamaka Okafor said that she came to seek partnership with the State government in sensitizing the people about student loans, noting that the Southeast has the lowest list of those who have been applying for it.
She recalled that the opportunity for accessing the student loan started in April 2024, disclosing that the loan is for students in government institutions of higher learning such as universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.
She further made it public that the loan, which is interest -is expected to be paid back within 10 years starting from 2 years after the beneficiary has completed his youth service.
She appreciated the giant strides of Governor Alex Otti in various sectors of the economy and described him as one who has performed miracles in Abia state and requested a space for an office accommodation.
The Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Professor Uche Emeh Uche, the Rector Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic Aba, and Dr. Christopher Okoro were among the top government officials present at the visit.
