..Hails Inauguration of Education Loan Fund (NELFUND ) and New Minimum wage agreement
A call has been made for a bipartisan national support for the 8-point Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu as antidote against poverty and inequalities in Nigeria.
The Director-General/Chief Executive of the Institute, Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies (MINILS), Ilorin Comrade Issa Aremu made the call in Ilorin on Thursday at the occasion of the 2024 Nelson Mandela Day held at the Institute.
Recall that the United Nations had declared July 18 NelsonMandela Day with the maiden edition launched on July 18, 2009. The 2024 event, was the fourth edition since the assumption of duty of the Comrade Aremu as the DG of the Institute as part of the community and national social responsibility plan of the Institute. In 2009, United Nations declared 18 July Nelson Mandela Day. The first democratically elected President of South Africa after the collapse of apartheid, Nelson Mandela was the only global citizen to be so honored with an annual International Day, in furtherance of his historic achievements in working towards conflict resolution, democracy, human rights, peace, and reconciliation. He died at 95 in December 2013. For 67 years ( 27 in notorious apartheid Prison) in the service of humanity, the world is enjoined to spend minimum of 67 minutes every year “to do something positive in the service of humanity”.
MINILS 2024 NMD was attended by the management and staff, students and teachers drawn from secondary schools in the host community as well as people living the disabilities.
Speaking on 2024 theme of Nelson Mandela Day (NMD): “Combating poverty and inequality”, Comrade Aremu urged Nigerians to support the Renewed HOPE 8 point AGENDA OF PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU in areas of food security; poverty eradication; growth, job creation; access to capital; inclusion; rule of law; and fight against corruption. While commending the creation of the new livestock ministry to manage livestock trillion Naira economy, Comrade Aremu observed that real sustainable solution against poverty is “mass quality affordable education” . He recalled that the late Nelson Mandela once observed that “ Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” He therefore hailed the inauguration of the much awaited Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) by the Presdent adding that it was significant that as many as 170,000 applicants from universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education now have accounts with NELFUND with 110,000 applicants that have successfully completed the loan application process and awaiting credit alerts.
“ The issue is not to agonize about poverty but initiate policy initiatives such as NELFUND as the President has done to give loans at zero interest rate to the children of the poor to access higher education” he said.
While agreeing with the United Nations Secretary General, Anthonio Gueterres that the world is “unequal and divided”, the MINILS Chief Executive urged Nigerians to keep hope alive. Key Highlight of the 2024 Nelson Mandela Day programme included presentation of writing materials to the students.
In a related development, comrade AREMU has said in line with its mandate of promoting workers education for industrial harmony, Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies (MINILS), Ilorin has assured that it will double it’s efforts in the area of promoting Labour Education in Universities to minimize avoidable industrial disputes that often lead to closure of universities. Comrade AREMU made this known in his good will message to the 2024 POLICY MEETING ON ADMISSIONS AND 4TH EDITION OF NATAP-M AWARDS organized by Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board ( JAMB) in Abuja on Thursday.
