Students loan scheme, non-discriminatory – VP Shettima


Vice President Kashim Shettima has said President Bola Tinubu administration Students Loan Scheme is non-discriminatory and open to all those eligible.

He stated this on Tuesday while explaining the thrust of the Renewed Hope Agenda during the APC Professionals Forum’s Policy Roundtable Conference on “Asiwaju Score Card Series” at the Shehu Yar’adua Centre, Abuja.

According to him, the programmes and policies of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu are focused on what works best for the country, given its present circumstances.

“Every country’s journey is distinct. Every country is shaped by its economic history and challenges. We respect the efforts of other nations, but we are focused on what works best for Nigeria,” Senator Shettima stated.

Speaking further, the VP noted that the commitment of the administration to education is evident in the launch of the student loan scheme, with Mr. Jim Ovia appointed to lead the Nigerian Education Loan Fund.

He said; “This initiative will empower our youth and ensure that they have the resources needed to succeed, and I assure you that the policy is in place to offer interventions to vulnerable or disadvantaged Nigerians without discrimination or favouritism.”

Shettima in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to The President on Media & Communications (Office of The Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, said the various initiatives are not just plans on paper, but actions being implemented to create tangible improvements in the lives of everyday Nigerians.

Represented by the Special Adviser to the President on General Duties (Office of the Vice President), Dr. Aliyu Modibbo, Shettima noted that the 8-point agenda of the Tinubu administration provides a clear framework for its policies and programs, even as he outlined areas of concentration to include driving “job creation, economic growth, food security, poverty eradication, access to capital, the rule of law, anti-corruption efforts, and inclusive development.

On government’s efforts to ensure integrity in its activities, the Vice President said, “The ongoing digitization of revenue collection across all government sectors is expected to yield significant results and enhance the transparency we have promised the people of Nigeria.”

Earlier in his remarks, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress APC, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, praised President Tinubu’s leadership of the country, noting that Nigeria is on the path of progress, with ongoing reforms across key sectors of the economy.

He reaffirmed his commitment to the ideals of the APC to set new standards and benchmarks in the nation’s democratic sphere, noting that the party is “reinvigorating itself to ensure that success across board in future elections.”

Chairman, Board of Trustees, of the APC Professionals Forum, Dr Isa Yuguda, said the roundtable was organised to take stock of the first year of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda under the banner of the Asiwaju scorecard series.

“Indeed, the President has today been proved right with the manner petrol importation has gone down by 50% since June 2023 and it is almost certain to go down more in a few months when the 650,000 barrels per day Dangote Refinery begin to produce PMS locally as well as the impending resumption of production at the Port Harcourt and Warri Refineries,” he explained.

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