Senior Special Assistant on Students’ Engagement to the President, Comrade Sunday Asefon, has eulogised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for conceptualising establishment of Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) and creation of universities, to change the face of tertiary education.
Asefon hailed Tinubu for approving the establishment of University of Environmental Sciences and Technology, Iyin-Ekiti, in Ekiti State, among five other new tertiary institutions across the country.
He gave the commendations in Ado-Ekiti yesterday while distributing food palliatives and cash gifts to about 700 Christians from 13 wards of Ado Ekiti Local Government under the Renewed Hope Food Initiative.
Asefon lauded President Tinubu and his son, Seyi, for their backing for the students through education loan and robust scholarships, where billions of Naira had been disbursed to thousands of students to complete their tertiary education.
He said he recently distributed 500 free JAMB forms to students and cash gifts to widows and the aged.
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Asefon described himself as one of the true apostles of President Tinubu, who believed in welfarist approach to governance for all citizens and the fact that the gains of democracy must be taken to the doorsteps of the poor.
He said: “Asiwaju Tinubu has justified his mandate by making education easier for students. There was no president since independence that gave students the opportunity to get interest free loan to attain tertiary education and return it when they start working.
“The President has told our parents not to go and get high interest loans to send their children to tertiary institutions, but to get the NELFUND that is interest free and pay when the beneficiary starts working.
“It doesn’t require you knowing anyone in position of authority before you can access it.
“Since we got independence, no President has allotted high budgetary provisions to education the way President Tinubu has done.
“Governor Biodun Oyebanji is replicating the same in Ekiti State. The governor is in peace and one accord with all past governors and political bigwigs, as well as other elder statesmen in our dear state.”
The presidential aide hailed President Tinubu for keeping to his promise to ensure Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) doesn’t embark on any strike during his tenure, saying this has elevated Nigerian universities’ ranking on webometrics.
The Acting Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State, Sola Elesin, called on Ekiti indigenes in positions of authority at the federal level to emulate Asefon by reaching out to the grassroots.
He said: “I have been emphasising it that APC is not a party of deceit. Let us continue to support whoever that does something like this. We are not betrayers in Ekiti. This kind of support will go a long way in alleviating the poverty level in the society.
“Let us continue to support President Tinubu and Governor Oyebanji in their quests to make Nigeria and Ekiti work.
“It is our collective duty to pray and back our leaders, particularly when they are working hard to redirect the economy and our socio-political system to the path of prosperity.
