The Nigerian government on Tuesday unveiled a sensitisation campaign to highlight the achievements of President Bola Tinubu’s two years in office. Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation, inaugurated the exercise in Port Harcourt, with the theme ‘Tinubu Administration’s Mid-Term Report’.
Represented by the Head of the Federal Information Centre, Port Harcourt, Mr Gabriel Obokuru, Idris stated that the federal government had made significant investments in the South-South in the past two years.
He explained that the ministry organised the campaign to acquaint Nigerians in the South-South with the policies and programmes of the Federal Government relating to their region.
“The President Tinubu-led administration has really touched many areas in the South-South zone with various programmes and projects, notably in Edo and Delta states, as well as in other states. The administration has initiated and completed some programmes to address the people’s needs in the past two years, with others still in progress,” he said.
Idris cited the Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprise – Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) and the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) programmes as initiatives that had benefitted thousands of citizens in the South-South.
“We are also using this workshop to educate citizens on how they can support government plans in their respective states, constituencies, and localities, rather than only criticising government,” he added.
Dr Helen Nsirim, Information and Public Relations Officer in the ministry, highlighted the Federal Government’s key achievements in the South-South region during the period.
She revealed that N500 million had been disbursed to 1,797 farmers in Edo to support their agribusiness under the LIFE-ND programme. She noted that the LIFE-ND had also been implemented in eight other states in the region, including Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Imo, Ondo, and Rivers.
“The programme is jointly financed by the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD), the Federal Government, and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). Youths, women-headed households, and persons living with disabilities are trained and equipped with the necessary skills, knowledge, and resources to thrive in the agricultural sector,” she said.
She said other programmes included the Student Loan Scheme, Three Million Technical Talent (3MTT) initiative, the Renewed Hope Housing Scheme, and the Bank of Industry low-interest loans to micro-enterprises.
Nsirim further disclosed that the government had embarked on the construction of the 700-kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, which spans Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Edo, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Cross Rivers States.
“In just two years, the Tinubu-led administration has delivered tangible infrastructure improvements, as well as reforms that have touched lives in the South-South region. Residents should take advantage of the opportunity to register for the cash transfer scheme, the housing scheme, and the student loan scheme, among others. These are not just programmes but opportunities to transform our lives and our communities,” she advised.
The panel session discussed the topic ‘Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) Beneficiaries in Rivers State: Their Journey So Far and the Genuineness of the Programme’.
Speaking on the issue, Prof. Sunny Orike, Head of ICT and Desk Officer of NELFUND in the Rivers State University, expressed concern over the low number of subscribers to the loan. He explained that all Nigerian students were eligible for the zero-interest loan, with repayment scheduled to commence two years after graduation and securing employment.
“It is for students in both federal and state-owned tertiary institutions, except for private universities. Interested students can apply for the loan by visiting the NELFUND website: https://nelf.gov.ng and completing the online application form,” Orike said.
