News
NELFUND vows to deal with institutions violating funds terms, conditions
Mariam Abeeb
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund, NELFUND has vowed to deal with institutions that go contrary to the terms and conditions surrounding to funds paid to it on behalf of students.
It says while the fund lacks the statutory power to suspend, remove or expel erring heads of institutions, any traced illegality will be reported and dealt with administratively by the Minister of education.
It says it will not allow the initiative of President Bola Tinubu towards making education accessible to willing Nigerians to be sabotaged on the alter of selfish interest.
Speaking during its third day stakeholders meeting and engagement with Heads of Colleges of Education, Agriculture, Health and Nursing, in Abuja, the Managing Director of NELFUND, Akintunde Sawyer, said the commitment of the Fund is to pay all registration charges that will admit students into classes for lectures tutorials, and exams amongst others.
Noting that so far, 303 institutions that we have paid on behalf of 293,000 students, Sawyer said the loan is applicable with how it has been set up and this includes JAMB, NIN, BVN and the matrix numbers, while remarking that the longevity seems to have attracted more people.
According to him, “The commitment of NELFUND is to pay all their registration charges. Our instruction is that once they have paid their institutional charges, they must have access, I repeat, they must have access to education, lectures, classes, tutorials and examination.
“We paid the whole amount, we don’t want the students to put their hands in their pockets and bring out money, and we do not want students to pay because the school told them they haven’t received any money when they already have.
“That’s going to be a serious matter and will be attended to administratively. And if anything illegal is going on, they will be death with as criminal offences if schools are asking students to pay when we already have paid.
“This is not an issue of refund. There are certain instances when we’ve made payments to schools after the students have actually paid because we started payment mid- cycle, but anybody who pays to the school after the school has received money from NELFUND is commiting a crime.
“We don’t have the power to sanction- we can’t suspend, remove or expel, but if we find anything,we have to take it to the minister and if it’s criminal in nature, we have to escalate it to the agencies that will ensure that economic crimes and practices are not being committed.
“We can’t also punish the students for refusing to pay for next session in the name of sanctioning the school. So we are threading with caution. Institutions that are erring are the ones that will face the music, and the minister is determined that this programme by President Bola Tinubu is not sabotaged by selfish interest.
Appreciating public outcry on real or perceived illegalities, Sawyer revealed that plans for thorough investigation into the matter has been concluded with the sperate investigative panels including the National Orientation Agency, NELFUND and the federal ministry of education.
“We are already conducting our own investigation. The NOA is conducting its own investigation, and the ministry of education through the honourable Minister is conducting a holistic investigation.”
News
Eagle Times Newspaper Will Be Voice for Nigerians – Publisher Chukwunyere Vows
Joel Ajayi
The Publisher of The Eagle Times Nigeria, Sir Ikechukwu Chukwunyere, has pledged that the newspaper will promote accountability, credible journalism and public-interest reporting in its coverage of national affairs.
Chukwunyere made the commitment on Thursday, October 1, 2026, during the official unveiling and launch of The Eagle Times Nigeria.
He said the new media organisation was established not merely to add another newspaper to Nigeria’s media landscape, but to provide a platform committed to serving the public interest.
According to him, the newspaper’s guiding philosophy, “The Voice for the People, The Watchdog for the Nation,” places a responsibility on the organisation to listen to Nigerians, tell their stories, highlight issues affecting their daily lives and scrutinise those entrusted with public responsibilities.
“To be a voice for the people means that we must listen to Nigerians, tell their stories, highlight their concerns and give visibility to issues that affect their daily lives,” he said.
The publisher added that The Eagle Times would be guided by accuracy, fairness, professionalism, credibility and responsible journalism, stressing that the newspaper would not publish stories merely because they were sensational.
“We will verify. We will investigate. We will seek the other side. We will correct our mistakes when we make them,” he said.
Chukwunyere further stated that the newspaper would endeavour to give individuals and organisations the opportunity to respond whenever allegations were made against them.
“Our commitment is not to any political party, government or individual. Our primary commitment is to journalism, to truth and to the Nigerian public,” he said.
He noted that the newspaper was launching at a time when the media industry was undergoing rapid transformation, with audiences increasingly consuming news through digital platforms, including websites, television, podcasts and social media.
He said The Eagle Times would therefore operate as a multimedia organisation, combining its newspaper with digital platforms and The Eagle Times TV to reach audiences across different channels.
According to him, the organisation also intends to create opportunities for young journalists, writers, photographers, producers, digital creators and other media professionals to develop their skills and contribute to journalism and national development.
Chukwunyere said the newspaper’s coverage would include politics, governance, business, economy, security, judiciary, education, health, technology, sports, entertainment, lifestyle and international affairs.
He, however, said the organisation intended to distinguish itself not only by the subjects it covered but by the quality and approach of its journalism.
We want to tell stories that matter, we want to investigate issues that require investigation, we want to highlight Nigerians who are making a difference, and we want to give communities that are often ignored an opportunity to be heard,” he said.
The publisher acknowledged the challenges involved in establishing a newspaper, saying the venture required investment, commitment, professional discipline and the courage to pursue an idea.
He expressed appreciation to the management, editorial, reporting, production and digital teams, as well as families, friends, partners and supporters who contributed to the establishment of the organisation.
Chukwunyere also assured readers, viewers and the newspaper’s digital audience that The Eagle Times would strive to earn their trust and remain accountable to the standards it had set for itself.
He said the newspaper’s success would not be measured only by circulation figures, website traffic or social media followers, but also by the confidence Nigerians placed in its journalism.
“Today, we spread our wings. Today, The Eagle Times takes flight,” he said, reaffirming the newspaper’s commitment to its slogan: “The Voice for the People, The Watchdog for the Nation.”
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