Vice Chancellors must be transparent with NELFUND disbursement – NAUS, NANS

Leaders of students’ unions in the southwest have stressed the need for management of higher institutions in the country to be transparent with the disbursement of Nigerian Education Loan Funds, NELFUND.

Criticism trailed the disbursement of NELFUND to students, as various schools were alleged of illegally deducted levies from the loan made available to students.

Addressing newsmen in Osogbo on Friday, Chairman, National Association of University Students, NAUS, Samson Adeleke, said Vice-Chancellors, Rectors and Provosts of schools needed to be transparent with the loan in a bid to sustain the scheme.

“We demand that Vice-Chancellors and Provosts of tertiary institutions in Osun State provide a detailed account of NELFUND disbursements and expenditures. Transparency and accountability are essential in managing these funds, and we will ensure that students receive the benefits they are entitled to.

“As NAUS chairman, I urge all Vice-Chancellors and Provosts to take immediate action to address this issue. We need to know how these funds are being utilized and what impact they are having on our students. We believe that transparency and accountability are essential for building trust and confidence in the management of NELFUND disbursements, “Adeleke stated.

Also speaking, the coordinator of NANS in the South West, Comrade Owolewa Taiwo, opined, “We are watching the VCs and other managements of institutions back to back on the utilisation of NELFUND.”

He, however, expressed concern about the menace of cultism in tertiary institutions, urging their managements to provide maximum security support to the student community.

He further contended that they believe that a safe and secure learning environment is essential for promoting academic excellence and student welfare.