Absence of South East students in NELFUND worries NASS caucus

South-East caucus of the National Assembly has raised concerns about the non-participation of students from the region’s tertiary institutions in the recent disbursement of student loans by the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).

The caucus observed that Southeast was conspicuously absent from the list of beneficiaries, despite a substantial sum of N2.95 billion disbursed to 27,667 students from 19 institutions across the country.

In a joint statement issued by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, leader of the South-East Senate caucus, and Igariwey Iduma Enwo, leader of the South-East caucus of the House of Representatives, the lawmakers expressed concerns over the omission.

NELFUND had defended the situation by stating that South-East institutions had not responded to the verification lists sent to them. a prerequisite for the disbursement of loans.

The Southeast caucus, therefore, urged the region’s tertiary institutions to promptly comply with NELFUND’s verification requests to ensure that students from the region were not left out of the financial support.

The caucus also called on Southeast students in need of financial assistance to take advantage of the loan programme by applying, stressing the importance of higher education for personal and regional development.

“It is important that as a people, we do not intentionally marginalise ourselves from opportunities, which are open to all Nigerians,” the statement read.