A member of the House of Representatives, representing Ideato North/South federal constituency of Imo State, Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere, has commended the immediate-past House Speaker and Chief of Staff to the President, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila for sponsoring and ensuring the passage of the Students’ Loans (Access To Higher Education) Bill, 2024.
Ugochinyere also commended the 10th House leadership led by Hon. Tajudeen Abbas and Hon. Benjamin Kalu for the roles they played in ensuring that the repealed Act was passed.
Recall that President Bola Tinubu had on June 12, 2023, signed the Student Loan Bill into law to enable Nigerian students to access loans at interest-free rates.
However, the President later wrote to lawmakers seeking a repeal and re-enactment of the law, to remove some conditions that could affect its sustainable implementation.
The amended Act, which President Tinubu signed into law on April 3, 2024, seeks to guarantee sustainable higher education and functional skill development for all Nigerian students and youths.
Hailing the trio, Ugochinyere noted that the law seeks to provide financial assistance to Nigerian students in tertiary institutions, describing the legislation as a beacon of hope for young Nigerians.
He also noted that the new law is in tandem with the yearnings of a teeming Nigerian youth for education, stating that now they can have access to university education despite their economic circumstances.
Declaring that Gbajabiamila, Abbas, Kalu and National Assembly members in the 9th and 10th Assembly will be remembered for generations for passing this all important legislation, Ugochinyere urged the Nigerian youth to take advantage of the law and pursue their university education to help them secure a brighter future and also contribute to the development of the society.