…makes special case for youth in N550bn intervention fund
...backs LG autonomy, new living wage, unicameral legislature
A ranking member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Bamisile, has appealed to students of Ekiti State origin in tertiary institutions to key into the life-changing platform provided the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) codenamed “Students’ Loan” to better their future.
The Chairman House Committee on Delegated Legislation, described the initiative of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration as strategically contrived to reduce school dropouts and create a leveler between the students from rich and poor backgrounds.
Bamisile, who represents Ekiti South Federal Constituency II, gave the appeal on Monday, while featuring on a live programme tagged: ‘Political Circuit’, on Ado Ekiti based radio station; Fresh 106.9 FM.
Espousing his views on the NELFUND initiative, Bamisile, described education as the most thriving industry in Ekiti, saying he expected Ekiti students to have highest enrolment among the beneficiaries compiled by the federal government.
On the N550 billion poverty humanitarian scheme being midwifed by FG to mitigate the effect of inflation on the people, Bamisile urged Tinubu’s administration to target unemployed youths to reduce poverty and criminal tendencies associated with young population.
The federal lawmaker emphasized the need for Nigerians to have confidence in the success of the scheme unlike the sham witnessed in the past, saying online registration would ensure fraud-proof and remove vestiges of manipulation while compiling the list.
“Under President Tinubu administration, a total of 3.6m population are to benefit from the intervention programme. Each family is to receive N50,000 for a period of three months. Some will get N75,000 monthly depending on information supplied. This is a good programme we must have faith in.
“Though, 3.6m out of over 100m assumed to be experiencing poverty in Nigeria might look so small, but the government must start from somewhere to reduce this hardship.
“My appeal is that our youths must also be listed as beneficiaries, so that they can be gainfully engaged and weaned from criminal activities”, he said .
Speaking further on the education loan, Bamisile said: “I consider Ekiti as one of the most educated states in Nigeria, so I want our youths to key into the NELFUND offer provided by the FG. Not everybody will be covered, but a large number of students are being targeted to reduce school dropouts”, Bamisile stated.
Bamisile also assured Nigerians that the National Assembly will back the agitations for Local Government Autonomy, saying the third tier of government must be fully independent for rapid development.
“I see no reason why it was difficult for the governors to allow local governments to be fully independent. But I commend Governor Biodun Oyebanji for allowing Ekiti councils to control their own funds. I am not saying this because I am from Ekiti.
“Some of the governors have not been receptive to the idea and the same set of governors will win election as senators and when they get there, they will now see the need for LG autonomy. I don’t know why it was difficult for them to accept this while in office”.
Speaking against the backdrop of the contention over the new minimum wage that has launched the workers into quandary, Bamisile opined that the governors must accede to the workers’ request and give them a “living wage”.
The All Progressives Congress, Chieftain saluted Governor Oyebanji for acceding to the request of workers and pensioners in spite of the paucity of funds, urging his colleague governors to prioritise policies that will bolster the welfare of the populace.
“Power belongs to the people. Our governors must listen to voices of the Nigerian workers and give them a living wage. Governor Biodun Oyebanji despite that Ekiti was the last on the revenue ladder has been paying salary, deduction, pension and gratuity regularly.
“Not only these, he had defrayed all the backlog of pension and salary arrears. During his recent engagement with Ekiti indigenes in Abuja, he made it clear that he owes nobody any salary or pension arrears.
“I see no reason why governors can’t pay a living wage to workers, it is a matter of priority”.
Bamisile also threw his weight behind agitations for unicameral legislature in some quarters, saying the policy will help in streamlining legislation process by removing unnecessary overlap and ultimately reduce government’s expenditure.
“It is not about which arm of the National Assembly that will go or scrapped; either the Senate or House of Representatives, it is a matter of us looking at the larger picture.
” Unicameral legislature makes leadership more accountable to the people because the party with higher number of legislators will form the government at the centre and the President having been elected from the parliament will give accounts of stewardship regularly and this will give Nigerians the opportunity to put their leaders at check.
“As for me, if this matter is debated on the floor of the National Assembly, I will make it clear there that Unicameral Legislature remains the best for Nigeria”.