The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Muhammed Idris, says introduction of the Nigerian Educational Loan Fund (NELFUND) is to ensure that no Nigerian child is denied access to quality higher education.
Idris stated this on Monday in Ibadan, Oyo State at a Town Hall meeting organised by the Ministry to sensitise the public on the midterm achievements of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The theme of the sensitisation campaign is ‘Tinubu Administration’s Mid-Term Report.’
Idris, who was represented by the Head of Federal Ministry of Information in Oyo State, Mr Moses Oyelade, said that the country had suffered a regime of haphazard human development indices over the years.
According to him, the nation’s Human Development Index (HDI) was not what it should be, therefore President Bola Tinubu resolved to address the challenge.
He said that this resolve of President Tinubu was what activated the NELFUND initiative.
Idris asserted that over 5,000 students of the University of Ibadan in Oyo State have benefitted from NELFUND.
The minister further said that the President Tinubu administration had been working assiduously and through its policies and programmes transforming the country.
He said that the town hall meeting was meant to present the stewardship of President Tinubu’s administration in the last two years.
In his presentation, the event’s Resource Person, Dr Solomon Oyeleye, who is the Acting Director of Parents’ Engagements and Alumni Relations, Caleb University, Lagos, lauded the economic-policies of the Tinubu administration.
Oyeleye said the removal of oil subsidy was in order, noting that the decision was risky, but it was a necessity “because until that time, we were spending more than 80 per cent of our revenue on servicing loans.
“Even though, we are not there yet, but what the President has done so far is guiding us towards a direction that our forefathers actually envisioned.”
He urged the Federal Government to engage with the stakeholders; Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU); the health workers, among others, to ensure that the country does not lose the gains of the oil subsidy removal.
Oyeleye also canvassed federal support for regional security outfits, such as ‘Amotekun’ to empower them to better complement the police and other security agencies.
He equally recommended that social programmes should be enlarged to cover more of the South-West.
Highlighting the achievements of President Tinubu’s administration in Oyo State, the Controller of Works, Federal Ministry of Works, Mr Victor Kolawole, said that the government, in the last two years, embarked on a number of road construction/ rehabilitation across the state.
Kolawole said that Oyo state plays a vital role in the economic and transportation sector of Nigeria because it was a gateway to other regions in country.
He said that the FG in March re-awarded the contract for the completion of Oyo-Ogbomoso dual carriage-way.
According to him, the new contractor was working aggressively on the project.
He also said that work was ongoing on the Saki-Okerete road, “which is a transborder road.
“Also, Ibadan-Oyo road is undergoing rehabilitation while Ibadan-Ife- Ilesa road reconstruction is receiving federal government attention,” the controller said.
According to him, the Federal Ministry of Works, under the leadership of Sen. David Umahi, due to evolving realities, had to rescope the Ibadan-Ife- Ilesa road project to reflect technical, financial and social considerations.
“The ministry is determined and committed to overcoming this challenges and delivering the project to meet the socio-economic aspirations of the people and the Renewed Hope Agenda of this present administration,” he said.
Kolawole maintained that the federal government through the Works ministry would continue to deliver quality road projects for the benefits of Nigerians.
In the same vein, Solomon Adewole, who spoke on behalf of the Ministry of Housing, state office, said the administration was currently constructing 250- housing units, known as Renewed Hope Estate at Erunmu in Ibadan.
Adewole said the Renewed Hope Estate project comprises 25 units of one bedroom, 75 units of two bedroom and 25 units of three bedroom.
He said the houses were meant for the less privileged, because of its affordability to the common masses.
Adewole said that road network into the estate had been completed while the real project was at over 60 per cent completion.
In his remarks, the Dean of Students, University of Ibadan, Prof. Demola Lewis, appreciated President Tinubu’s administration for the introduction of NELFUND.
Lewis confirmed that not less that 5,000 students of the University of Ibadan, had benefited from the initiative.
He urged government to further engage in students-friendly initiatives that would assist more students in their academic pursuit.
