AOPE STUDENTS SPEAK OUT: ‘WE WERE APPROVED FOR NELFUND, BUT GOT NOTHING

In a bold move to address the alarming irregularities in the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) disbursement, a student leader from Adeseun Ogundoyin Polytechnic, Eruwa (AOPE), Comr. Oke Oludele Adesola, has penned an open letter to relevant authorities, demanding immediate action. Despite receiving approval for the loan, students claim that not a single kobo has been disbursed for tuition or upkeep, raising concerns about financial deductions for funds they never received. The letter, addressed to key stakeholders, calls for transparency, accountability, and the fulfillment of the government’s promise to ease the financial burden on students.

The full text of the letter reads as follows:

OPEN LETTER TO THE AUTHORITIES CONCERNING THE NEFUND STUDENT LOAN DISBURSEMENT

Dear Concerned Authorities,

With utmost respect and a deep sense of responsibility as a student leader and a stakeholder in the academic progress of Nigerian students, I write to bring to your urgent attention the unsettling realities surrounding the disbursement of the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).

When President Bola Ahmed Tinubu launched NELFUND, it was hailed as a beacon of hope for students across the country, a scheme designed to ease the burden of school fees payment and provide monthly stipends for upkeep. According to the program structure, beneficiaries were to receive ₦120,000 for school fees and ₦240,000 for upkeep, disbursed in monthly installments of ₦20,000 for a year to support their educational journey.

However, despite applying for this loan since last year and receiving official approval in our respective portals, not a single kobo has been disbursed for either tuition or upkeep. This raises serious concerns, as the loans remain recorded in our names, meaning deductions could be made from our accounts in the future for funds we never received.

As students, we trusted the federal government’s commitment to this initiative. Many of us at Adeseun Ogundoyin Polytechnic, Eruwa (AOPE) had already found alternative means to settle our tuition fees due to the failure of NELFUND to fulfill its promise. Yet, we remain legally bound to repay loans that were never credited to us.

Upon further investigation, the management of our institution confirmed that only a token amount was sent by NELFUND, which, when divided among the beneficiaries, barely sums up to ₦50,000 per student or even less, a far cry from the ₦360,000 we were promised and expected to repay.

This situation is deeply unjust and a betrayal of trust in a policy that was meant to uplift students, not burden them further. As an erstwhile SUG President, I was present at the NELFUND sensitization event held at LAUTECH, Ogbomoso, where we were assured that this initiative would be seamless and transparent. But what we are experiencing now is far from that promise.

While I may not be fully aware of the situation in other institutions across Oyo State, I am compelled to speak up on behalf of concerned students at Adeseun Ogundoyin Polytechnic, Eruwa, who are at risk of financial deductions for funds they never received.

I call upon the concerned authorities to immediately address this issue and ensure that students receive their full entitlements. This is not a plea but a rightful demand. As citizens of this nation, we should not be shortchanged by a scheme designed for our benefit.

If the government is truly committed to youth empowerment and educational transformation, then this issue must not be swept under the carpet. The credibility of the NELFUND program is at stake, and failing to rectify this injustice would be a slap on our democracy.

To the NELFUND authorities, we demand transparency. Send us our money. It is our right, and it is our entitlement.

Cc:

Minister of Education, Nigeria

Commissioner of Education, Oyo State

Management, Adeseun Ogundoyin Polytechnic, Eruwa

NANS National Headquarters

NANS Southwest

NANS JCC Oyo

Students’ Union Government, AOPE

Yours in the struggle for justice,

Comr. Oke Oludele Adesola

Erstwhile President, Students’ Union Government (SUG)

Adeseun Ogundoyin Polytechnic, Eruwa.