Senate Okays Student Loan Act 2024

The Senate has passed the Student Loans Access to Higher Education) Act (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill, 2024.

The passage followed the consideration of a report of the Committee on Tertiary Institutions and Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), presented by the Chairman representing Katsina South, Sen. Mohammed Muntari.

This is as the bill, last week, passed a second reading.

President Bola Tinubu had last week, written to the Senate and the House of Representatives, seeking the repeal of the Student Loan (Access to Higher Education) Bill, and to enact a new one.

The new act will enhance the implementation of the Higher Education Student Loan Scheme, by addressing challenges related to the management structure of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELF), applicant eligibility requirements, loan purpose, funding sources and disbursement and repayment procedures.

Tinubu’s action came after the announcement of a temporary suspension of the commencement of the student loan system. The law was put in place to allow Nigerian students in tertiary institutions to access low-interest loans to complete their studies.

A motion compelling the need to tackle the challenge of out-of-school children in Nigeria, sponsored by Sen. Adebule Oluranti representing Lagos West, was also debated.

In a lead debate, Sen Oluranti argued on the need to cause a drastic reduction of the current number of out-of-school children, pegged according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) statistics, at 20 million.

Some other lawmakers like Sen. Oshiomhole enjoined the senate, to compel the appropriate agency to publish the percentage of out-of-school children in each state, particularly to expose defaulting state governments, who through a misplacement of priorities, have continued to endanger the collective wellbeing of citizens.

In its resolution, the Senate asked the judiciary in all 36 states, to set up mobile courts for the enforcement of the Universal Basic Education (UBE)Act.

It also mandated its committee on education, to engage with the Ministry of Education on the issue of out-of-school children, to reduce their number, and set a time limit of two years for the implementation of the UBE Act.

Tinubu Appoints Chioma Awuzie Substantive Rector, Fed Poly Oko

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of Dr. Chioma Irene Awuzie as the substantive Rector of Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra State. Dr. Awuzie's appointment, which takes effect immediately for a five-year term, follows the recommendation of the Polytechnic's Governing Council, chaired by Sen. Dr. Barnabas Gemade, after a transparent and competitive selection process where she emerged as the leading candidate. Prior to her appointment, Awuzie, who holds a Doctorate Degree in Physical and Materials Chemistry, was a distinguished Chief Lecturer in the Department of Science Laboratory Technology (Chemistry Option) and also Director in-charge of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Projects in the Polytechnic. Under her stewardship, Federal Polytechnic, Oko, witnessed unprecedented advancements in infrastructure and institutional transformation. Her leadership facilitated monumental developments across the Polytechnic’s campuses in Oko, ...

#Watchvideo : SECURITY FORCES BURST THE CAMP OF UNKNOWN GUNMEN IN AKOKWA

Security Forces in the state through a coordinated intelligence report has bursted the camp of the unknown gunmen at Akokwa, Arondizuogu after a long gun duel which resulted to the death of some of the criminals and others arrested. These criminal elements have been known to be behind several attacks in the state such as the killing of police men in Mbaise, Aba Branch in Ehime Mbano, burning down of police stations, attack and attempted kidnapping of former Governor Ikedi Ohakim, abduction of Miss. P.P. Johnson, a female soldier in Okigwe and recently the attack in Akokwa that left many dead. It is obvious that these daredevil gunmen have been perpetuating their evil plans unabated until yesterday when their camp was bursted by security agencies. This is another assurance that our security operatives are leaving no stone unturned in the fight against banditry and other related activities. While it has become obvious that the activities of these non state actors are politically motivate...

Valentine Ozigbo Resigns from Labour Party

In a shocking move, against all speculations over the last few days, Valentine Ozigbo, a close ally of Peter Obi, has announced his resignation from the Labour Party (LP). Ozigbo confirmed his decision to Diaspora Digital Media on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, but declined to provide further details, opting instead to share his reasons during an interactive session on X (Twitter) Space. The session, scheduled for 8 PM, will feature Ozigbo in conversation with Anambra's First Son, @uchepokoye, discussing pressing issues affecting Anambra State, including security challenges, societal fabric collapse, and the hope for a better future. Ozigbo's resignation has sparked interest, with many awaiting his detailed explanation for leaving the Labour Party. His decision comes at a critical time for the party, which has been navigating various challenges in recent months. Credit: Diaspora Digital Media

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