The Managing Director of Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFund), Dr. Akintunde Sawyyer, has said that beneficiaries would not be harassed into repaying the loan upon graduation.
Sawyyer said this Friday in Abakaliki, during a sensitisation meeting with students of the Ebonyi State University (EBSU), Abakaliki, alongside the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).
Addressing the students, Sawyyer said the engagement was designed to expose the students to the huge benefits of the loan and the good intentions of the federal government, “which is for all eligible students to access quality tertiary education, irrespective of financial background.”
He allayed the fears of students that they would be harassed or intimidated if they defaulted in repaying the loan, saying the loan “is interest-free and a student can only start repaying the loan two years after the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) and when working.”
Also speaking, NANS’ president, Lucky Emonefe, assured the students of the genuineness of the system, adding that it was not for a few privileged people who were being erroneously believed, but for all students who indicated interest and submitted the necessary information to the provided portal.
Similarly, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (South East), Mrs. Chioma Nweze, said the sensitisation meeting became necessary following the obvious poor interest of students in the South-east schools to access the loan.
On his part, EBSU Vice Chancellor, Prof. Chigozie Ogbu, who served as a two-term deputy governor of the state, assured NELFund that the school management would continue to enlighten students on the benefits of the student loan, in addition to providing the necessary guide for seamless application.