The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has demanded an amendment to the Students’ Loans Act to exclude non-student associations from the Loans Board.
NANS, led by its President, Usman Barambu, to a meeting with President Tinubu in Abuja, said they were surprised that the Act did not include students’ representation in the disbursement of loans.
After meeting with the president, Barambu journalists that there were organisations that were not to be a part of the disbursement as they were not student-oriented,
“especially the Nigerian Bar Association, ASUU. They have their microfinance banks running their own affairs without the inclusion of students in their board”, he explained.
The NANS President said they equally appealed that appointments, from the position of Managing Director or Secretary General, be given to their representatives with the expertise.
According to him, part of their discussion with the President was the rigidity of the period of repayment of the loan, which begins from 2 years after the completion of the National Youth Service Corps.
Noting that some beneficiaries still remain jobless even after 2 years of completing the National Youth Service Corps scheme.
The students appealed to President Tinubu to direct tertiary institutions to include Student Union Governments in decisions concerning tuition, arguing that such stop arbitrariness in the increment.
President Bola Tinubu was happy with the satisfaction of the delegation over the student loan despite concerns raised.
“If we all believe that education is the greatest weapon against poverty, then we have to invest in it”, President Tinubu said.
The president assured them that their complaints would be addressed and warned them against forming factionalism, stating that it would deter their collective goals.
Reporting by Abdullah Bello; Editing by Muzha Kucha and Julian Osamoto