The Personal Assistant to the President on Constituency Affairs, Khadijat Kareem Omotayo, ha said about 40 million students have benefited from Federal Government’s loan scheme.
She said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu established the loans scheme to boost the standard of education and help indigent students to complete their education.
Omotayo said this at a stakeholders’ meeting in Jos, the Plateau State capital.
Stakeholders at the meeting included the Plateau Initiative for Development and Advancement of the Natives (PIDAN), Traditional rulers, Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), National Union of Road Transportation Workers (NURTW), Women in Agriculture, Plateau Youth Council (PYC), members of the Southsouth community, the Southeast community, and the Yoruba community.
She said President Tinubu established the loan scheme to remove financial burdens from indigent students and help many others to have access to quality education.
The presidential aide urged students who have not applied for the collateral-free loan to do so to enable them complete their education.
“Let’s encourage our youths to go for the student loan so that they can complete their education. If the President was less concerned about education, he would not have helped the youths to access the student loan.
“From the record of beneficiaries of the student loan, over 40 million have benefitted so far. Yet, some people are complaining about free education.
“Please, the representative of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) should go and preach to their people to go and apply for the student loan.”
Omotayo described President Tinubu as a leader who is working tirelessly to build a Nigeria that works for all citizens without considering their ethnic, religious, and political backgrounds.
The presidential aide implored fellow Nigerians to stop attacking the President for removing fuel subsidy, saying it was done in their best interest.
She advised Nigerians to start querying their elected representatives about good governance and why hardship persists in the country instead of casting aspersion and blaming only the President about the challenges facing the country.
According to her, ther is a ned for citizens to engage in constituency advocacy and fact-finding mission about President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Omotayo said this need propelled government officials in her office to visit the states to hear the people’s concerns and take the message to Mr. President for his intervention.
“The President is committed to the growth and development of Plateau State, the initiative that would improve the well-being of the people through access to quality healthcare, education as well as women and youths empowerment,” she said.
The presidential aide noted that the President was determined to finish all Federal Government’s abandoned projects in Plateau State.
She stressed the need for community harmony, genial leadership, and effective collaboration among various groups across the country.
According to her, the stakeholders’ meeting was convened to also acknowledge the people’s contributions to fostering relationships among the residents across the state and region.
