The Concerned Igbo Stakeholders Forum (CISF) has voiced strong disapproval over the exclusion of South-East institutions from the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) disbursement.
This development, which has sparked widespread outrage, was reported by SaharaReporters on Friday.
According to NELFUND’s circular, over N2.9 billion has been allocated and distributed as loans for tuition fees to more than 27,000 students across 19 higher education institutions in Nigeria. However, not a single institution from the South-East region made it to the list, while at least one institution from each of the other five geopolitical zones was included.
Reacting to this exclusion, the leader of CISF expressed bewilderment and disappointment. “This is not how to manage a diverse and multicultural society like Nigeria. What impression does Mr. President want Nigerian students schooling in the South-East to have about their place in the scheme of things?” the group questioned.
CISF has described the situation as “a joke taken too far” and has called out NELFUND’s claims of non-discriminatory disbursement practices. “The claims by NELFUND that ‘there is no consideration of geopolitical zones in the disbursement’ is not sustainable and unfounded,” the statement read.
The forum further pointed out the curious nature of the exclusion, noting, “The Southeast region that has long complained of marginalisation is the only region ‘unintentionally’ excluded from this first batch of interventions. This cannot be a coincidence but simply a case of negligence.”
Additionally, CISF dismissed NELFUND’s explanation about late compliance with verification by institutions in the South-East. “The claim by NELFUND about the late compliance with verification by institutions in the Southeast is also unfounded. Provided that at least one institution in the Southeast had complied before the recent release of the list by beneficiaries, it is enough to co-opt the institution in the first batch to demonstrate FG’s commitment to the Federal Character principle,” the group argued.
In a stern warning, the Concerned Igbo Stakeholders Forum called on President Bola Tinubu to rectify the situation immediately. “The Concerned Igbo Stakeholders Forum hereby calls on President Tinubu to recall that list and, as a matter of urgency, order the inclusion of three to four institutions from the Southeast. It should be noted that Igbos are equal stakeholders in the Nigerian project and must be respected as such,” the group warned.
The controversy surrounding the NELFUND disbursement has put a spotlight on the persistent issues of regional marginalization and the need for inclusive governance in Nigeria. As the nation grapples with these challenges, the call for equity and fairness in the distribution of national resources has never been more urgent.