Lagos, Nigeria – Di Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) don continue dem investigation wey concern di alleged discrepancies for di disbursement of funds under di Federal Government’s student loan scheme. Dis investigation come after National Orientation Agency (NOA) raise alarm say some schools dey cheat students wey suppose receive loan.
Sources for di ICPC tell our correspondent say dem start dis investigation afta di Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) request dem to track di money wey dem don disburse. One official wey no wan show name talk say nobody don dey indicted yet. “We just start di investigation. NELFUND bring di matter come our side to help track di money. No one don get blame yet, but di allegation still dey remain,” di official talk.
As e be, preliminary findings show say N100 billion na im dem earmark for di program, but only N28.8 billion don reach students so far. Another source talk say investigation reveal say N203.8 billion na im dem collect, and only N44 billion don reach di beneficiaries.
“We never blame anybody for anything. Na N44 billion dem don disburse. When we find di recipients, we go sabi if dem really collect di money. If dem collect di money we go find out where di discrepancy come from,” di senior official add. Dem also urge Nigerians make dem dey patient while di investigation dey go on, insist say as dem finish, dem go make di findings public.
Nigerians dey demand full answer, and di official remind dem say dem dey work hard to get to di bottom of di matter. “If N44 billion don reach di recipients, then e no go follow up any wahala. If we see say discrepancy dey, we go find di matter and let Nigerians know,” di source disclose.
For di other side, NELFUND dey dismiss di allegation about misappropriation as “entirely false and deeply damaging.” Di Fund’s Director of Strategic Communications, Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, talk say dem sef no dey find reason to undermine di integrity of di agency wey dey deliver financial hope to many Nigerians.
Managing Director of NELFUND, Akintunde Sawyerr, clarify dis matter during him appearance for Channels Television. He emphasize say dem collect N203 billion, broken down to: N10 billion from di Ministry of Finance, N50 billion from di EFCC’s proceeds of crime, and N143 billion from TETFund. “We don disburse N54 billion to students in di last 11 and half months,” Sawyerr explain.
Di controversy start to gather momentum in April when NOA find out say some tertiary institutions dey withhold student loan disbursements. Di National Association of Nigerian Students vow to protest di alleged discrepancies. Wylen Sawyerr, while talking on live TV, deny say any money dey miss, and jokingly mention say him dey search for di so-called missing money.
“No money don dey steal; ABC dey set up NELFUND to bridge di gap for students wey no get funds for education,” he clarify. Dem also confirm say dem dey meet with di NOA Director-General over di matter.
“Di money wey dey go to schools for tuition, no be disbursement directly to students,” Sawyerr emphasize. He tell Nigerians say he dey investigate di mystery wey surround di allegations of delayed payments and money wey no reach di beneficiaries. “Some schools don start to refund because of di wahala, but dis one no dey acceptable,” Sawyerr conclude.
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