The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Muhammed Idris, says the introduction of the Nigerian Educational Loan Fund (NELFUND) is to ensure that no Nigerian child is denied access to quality higher education.
Idris made this known on Monday in Ibadan at a town hall meeting organised by the ministry to sensitise the public on the midterm achievements of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
He, who was represented by the Head of Federal Ministry of Information in Oyo State, Mr Moses Oyelade, said the country had suffered from poor human development indices over the years.
According to him, the nation’s Human Development Index (HDI) was not what it should be, and President Tinubu resolved to address the challenge, which activated the NELFUND initiative.
Idris stated that over 5,000 students of the University of Ibadan had already benefited from NELFUND.
He added that the administration had been working through policies and programmes to transform the country, and the town hall meeting was organised to present the stewardship of the government over the last two years.
In his presentation, the resource person, Dr Solomon Oyeleye, Acting Director of Parents’ Engagements and Alumni Relations, Caleb University, Lagos, commended the economic policies of the Tinubu administration.
Oyeleye said the removal of oil subsidy was risky but necessary, noting that before the decision, more than 80 per cent of national revenue was used to service loans.
“Even though we are not there yet, what the President has done so far is guiding us towards the direction that our forefathers envisioned,” he said.
He urged the Federal Government to continue engaging with stakeholders such as the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and health workers to ensure that the gains of subsidy removal were not lost.
Oyeleye also called for federal support for regional security outfits such as Amotekun, to better complement the police and other security agencies, and recommended expansion of social programmes across the South-West.
Highlighting achievements in Oyo State, Mr Victor Kolawole, Controller of Works, Federal Ministry of Works, said the government had embarked on several road projects in the last two years.
He said the FG had in March re-awarded the contract for the completion of the Oyo-Ogbomoso dual carriageway and that the new contractor was working aggressively on the project.
According to him, work is also ongoing on the Saki-Okerete transborder road, the Ibadan-Oyo road rehabilitation, and the Ibadan-Ife-Ilesa road reconstruction.
He explained that the ministry, under Sen. David Umahi, had to rescope the Ibadan-Ife-Ilesa project due to evolving realities, taking into account technical, financial, and social considerations.
Kolawole said the ministry was determined to deliver the projects in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Similarly, Solomon Adewole, representing the Ministry of Housing, said the administration was constructing 250 housing units under the Renewed Hope Estate project at Erunmu in Ibadan.
He said the estate comprises 25 units of one-bedroom, 75 units of two-bedroom, and 25 units of three-bedroom houses, designed to be affordable for low-income earners.
Adewole added that the road network into the estate had been completed and the housing project was over 60 per cent complete.
In his remarks, Prof. Demola Lewis, Dean of Students, University of Ibadan, commended the introduction of NELFUND, confirming that no fewer than 5,000 students in the university had benefited.
He urged government to adopt more student-friendly initiatives to support academic pursuits.
(NAN)