The National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, has demanded an amendment to the Students’ Loans Act to exclude non-student associations from the Loans Board and replace them with student related ones.
NANS, led by its President, Mallam Usman Baranbu, to a meeting with President Tinubu in Abuja, said they were surprised that the Act did not include students’ representation in the disbursement of loans.
“There are organisations that they have put there, which to us, don’t need to be there. We mentioned a lot of people that they should remove them and put more of student-oriented organisations, especially the Nigerian Bar Association, ASUU, they have their own micro finance bank running their own Affairs without the inclusion of students in their board. I don’t think it’s wise for us to allow them to be included in ours”, he expressed concern.
The NANS President said they equally sought that appointments, from the position of Managing Director or Secretary General, be given to their representatives with the expertise.
Mallam Baranbu said they complained to the President about the rigidity of the period of repayment of the laon, which begins 2 years after the completion of the National Youth Service Corps.
“We equally said something to them that those that don’t have job, how are they going to repay the loan, and they said there were some modalities they were putting in place, which we’re going to further the engagement with Chief of Staff, as the President advised: if we have anything we should discuss it quickly with the Chief of Staff if he is not available”, Mallam Baranbu explained.
The students appealed to President Tinubu to direct tertiary institutions to include Students Union Government in decisions concerning tuition, arguing that such stop arbitrariness in the increment
President Bola Tinubu in his response said their requests would not be difficult to address if they were united
The students need to be represented, but you’re not cohesive too, you fractionise, so once one faction is on the board, another faction will stir the air, so you have to promote unity and stability among each other. You have employ democratic means honestly and seriously”, President Tinubu advised.
