Southeast not excluded from student loan – Deputy Speaker Kalu

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Okezie Kalu, has allayed the fears of deliberate exclusion of students from the Southeast geo-political zone from the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).

Kalu spoke in reaction to protests by the South East Caucus in the National Assembly over the alleged exclusion of students from the zone from accessing the fund.

The Deputy Speaker in a statement on Monday said he has engaged NELFUND over the student loan and expressed optimism that the matter would be resolved.

He explained that during the engagement, issues of poor registration of students from the southeast against the total number of students in the schools in the region were identified as the reason for the non-shortlisting of names.

Kalu added that there were mistakes with the completion of the relevant forms such as non-inclusion of Joint Administration and Matriculation Board (JAMB) results.

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Kalu however said that steps have been taken by the affected institutions within the southeast to remedy the situation.

He added that the governors of the region are also on top of the situation to increase the number of participating students just as the members of the National Assembly have been equally encouraged to reach out to their constituents for immediate compliance.

The Deputy Speaker said his office has devised some means to increase awareness.

He called for patience among the students and the people of the southeast, assuring that the needful would be done.