NANS protests board meeting exclusion 

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has threatened to shut down the offices of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) if it goes ahead to hold a proposed board meeting without representatives from the union.

In a letter obtained by Blueprint in Abuja, weekend, signed by NANS president, Comrade Jucky Emonele and addressed to the CEO of NELFUND, Akintunde Sawyerr, and chairman of NELFUND, Mr Jim Ovia, the association said, as the primary stakeholders and direct beneficiaries of NELFUND, it is completely unacceptable that students are sidelined from deliberations that shape the administration and disbursement of student loans.

The letter reads: “We are writing to express our deep concern and outright discontent over the exclusion of students from the scheduled board meeting of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund. 

“The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), as the apex student body representing over 50 million students across the country, will not stand idly by while critical decisions affecting our future are made in our absence.

“As the primary stakeholders and direct beneficiaries of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, it is completely unacceptable that students are sidelined from deliberations that shape the administration and disbursement of student loans. This fund was created for Nigerian students, and we will have a voice in how it is managed.

“We are demanding, not requesting, the immediate inclusion of a student representative in this board meeting. Failure to accommodate this legitimate and reasonable demand will result in the total shutdown of the meeting venue by Nigerian students.”

Blueprint reports that no specific date has been fixed for the NELFUND board meeting.