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Tinubu’s initiative will foster a new generation of well-educated, skilled Nigerians-Group

Published

2 months ago

July 22, 2024

Joel Ajayi

The Tinubu Stakeholders Forum (TSF) has said that the newly launched Student Loan Scheme will contribute in no small measure to national development by building a generation of well-educated citizens with high level manpower tranning

The scheme, the TSF said, in a statement signed by its chairman, Ahmad Sajoh and Secretary Afolabi Josiah, will enable individuals to be self-reliant, attain their maximum educational ambition, and be useful members of the society.

“This scheme is bound to ensure that financial constraints do not deny indigent students of quality education while knowledge acquired will be useful to the country.

The group futher said: “This initiative, overseen by the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), marks a significant milestone in our nation’s educational history, with 103,000 successful applications out of 164,000 registered between May 25 and July 17, 2024.

“For us, the scheme underscores President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to education as a powerful tool to combat poverty and insecurity in Nigeria.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the Nigerian government has, historically, catered to students through bursaries and scholarships. While those methods have been beneficial, the current initiative promises a more structured and expansive approach, ensuring that financial constraints do not hinder any Nigerian from accessing quality education.

“Comparatively, the student loan systems in the UK and USA have long supported students in achieving their educational goals, leading to well-established and effective frameworks. So, the implementation of a similar programme in Nigeria signals a commitment to adopting best practices that have proven successful globally.

“This program is designed to not only support current students but to be a sustainable model that will serve future generations.

“President Tinubu’s initiative ensures that tuition fees are paid directly to institutions, while students receive stipends for their upkeep, thus covering all critical aspects of their educational pursuit. This initiative is poised to create a lasting impact on the educational landscape of Nigeria, fostering a generation of well-educated and skilled individuals equipped to contribute significantly to national development.”

The group also urged beneficiaries to ensure they honour their commitment in order to ensure that the programme is sustained.

“As we celebrate this landmark achievement, we urge the beneficiaries to approach this opportunity with utmost seriousness and integrity. The successful implementation and sustainability of this program rest on the responsible utilization and timely repayment of these loans.

“By honouring their commitments, beneficiaries will not only secure their own futures but also pave the way for countless other students to benefit from this scheme in the years to come.

“We at the TSF believe that this programme will be entrenched and will grow to support many generations of Nigerian students. We commend President Tinubu for his visionary leadership and unwavering dedication to making education accessible to all,” added.

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Nigeria Will Take Good Shape In No Distant Time- Olawande

Published

5 hours ago

September 16, 2024

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The Minister of State for Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande has urged the citizens of the country to be patient with the Administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in transforming the lives of its citizens through various policies and programs of the federal government.

The Minister made this submission while delivering his speech at the Joint Union Negotiating Council’s week of the Federal Ministry of Youth Development branch. This is the first edition since both Ministries of Youth and Sports had been damaged. The JUNC week which was held at Atiku Hall, Office of Head of Civil Service of the Federation in Abuja had its theme: “The working people in a volatile, uncertain, and complex economy”

In the words of the Honourable Minister: “I urge you to be patient with this administration. In no distant time, the country will take good shape and the lives of its citizens will be transformed”.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not a pauper, he is an acknowledged epitome of wealth, and so it cannot be said of him that he desires to loot the treasury of Nigeria. He has seen money and as a result of this, he is not interested in looting the nation’s treasury”, Olawande explained.

He emphasized that “leadership is all about being committed to serve. If you are a Minister now, tomorrow you will be addressed as a former Minister, likewise a Director because there is no permanent position but the impact that you made while in that office will speak after you”, the Minister reiterated.

Olawande expressed his gratitude to the workers of the Ministry for being supportive of the government policies and programs. He promised that the welfare of the staff would not be compromised, adding that workers deserve remuneration for being hardworking.

Earlier in his address, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Olubunmi Olusanya admonished the staff of the Ministry to put in their best as “Performance Management System” which replaces APER is the criteria to be used for promotion effective next year. This, according to him is because the Performance Management System (PMS) records the best efforts and input of each staff which will in turn be used to grade such staff.

Olusanya who disclosed that the welfare of the staff is his priority as workers deserve the best for the services rendered. He opined that “the hungry man is angry and as a worker, if you are not treated fairly and properly, it is impossible to get the best out of you. As a result, all staff will be treated properly as motivation to propel the best in you”, he concluded.

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Esther Didi Walson-Jack, OON, MNI, in her address, informed that the activity to reinvigorate the Civil Service in a bid to ensure that Civil Servants carry out their duties with much diligence to have efficient and incorruptible civil service is currently on course. She advised workers to wake up and be committed to the service of the nation.

In his closing remarks, Mr. Jerry Akume, the General Secretary of the Union expressed his delight in celebrating this year’s edition of the Union week, while highlighting the achievements of the union so far. These include:

Upward review of staff welfare, prompt payment of repatriation allowances, payment of first 28 days allowance, assistance to the sick, general training of staff, and sending forth/retirement package for retired staff.

He also appealed to the Management of the Ministry, saying that irrespective of the aforementioned achievements, a lot still needs to be done in such areas as procurement of staff buses, upward review of welfare payment for festive periods, consistent general staff training, and procurement of office and work materials.

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