Apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide has expressed anger over the exclusion of the entire South-East from first phase disbursement of the students’ loan.
This is coming amid claims that tertiary institutions in the
region was marginalised by the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).
It could be recalled that the Federal Government, through
NELFUND, announced last week that N2.9 billion had been disbursed to 27, 667
students as the first set of beneficiaries of the loan scheme across 19
tertiary institutions in the country.
The list excluded potential beneficiaries from the South-East.
In a statement made available to journalists on Tuesday, the
National President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, Mazi Okwu
Nnabuike described the development as unacceptable.
Okwu, who said the reasons given by the NELFUND was
unjustifiable, noted that it flies in the face of reason for the managers of
the loan to state that no tertiary institution in the South-East met the
criteria.
“We completely reject the reason adduced by NELFUND as to why
the South-East was conspicuously sidelined in this first phase disbursement of
the Federal Government loan.
“Without mincing words, we find this as a continuation of
the age-long marginalisation of Ndigbo by some persons who don’t want the best
for this country.
“We the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide reject in
its entirety the claims made by NELFUND and demand that the South-East should
be fully integrated into the programme.
“It is saddening that our people have continued to receive
second class treatment in this country. This should not continue under the
current administration, which has received enormous goodwill and support from
Ndigbo more than any other zone,” Okwu cautioned.
He, however, urged authorities of the various tertiary institutions
in the zone to do the needful and not become a stumbling block to the future of
students.
“All those who have a role to play in the verification
exercise should sit up and do the needful without further delay.
“Failure to do so, we shall mark them as enemies of the
youths. Our future should not be toyed with any longer,” he warned.
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