N59million disbursed to 600,000 students under NELFUND scheme – NOA DG

Mr Lanre Issa-Onilu, Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), has disclosed that over 600,000 students have so far benefitted from the N59million disbursed under the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) scheme.

Issa-Onilu, disclosed this at a news conference on Thursday in Kano, to launch the five nationwide enlightenment campaigns on government policies, national values and identities, security awareness and disaster preparedness.

The director-general further disclosed that the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, in collaboration with other stakeholders, had expressed the readiness to support 150,000 youths across the country with N110 billion.

The director general, who was represented by Mr Williams Dogo, Director, Legal Services of the agency, said that NELFUND was available to all qualified Nigerians in public tertiary institutions.

He said the sensitisation programme, with the theme “Nationwide Sensitisation on Five Thematic Areas,” was designed to deepen citizens’ knowledge of government initiatives.

The NOA boss explained that the campaign would highlight the presidential directive on flood mitigation, which provided for the release of N3 billion to each state in 2024 for drainage clearance and relocation of vulnerable communities.

He said that 700 schools had been renovated nationwide as an intervention to improve learning facilities in rural areas.

Issa-Onilu further said that more than 15,000 new security personnel had been deployed nationwide to address diverse security challenges.

“It is our intention to carry out security awareness campaigns reaching no fewer than three million Nigerians in each state through media engagements, advocacy visits to traditional and religious leaders, rallies at markets and motor parks, as well as town hall meetings,” he said.

On national values, he said that reorientation campaign would focus on patriotism, unity and campaigns against extreme graduation practices that contradict cultural norms.

He added that the campaign would also familiarise Nigerians with the current national anthem.