Ministry Denies Minister’s Role in NELFUND Recruitment Delay, Says Agency Overstaffed

Kuni Tyessi in Abuja

The Federal Ministry of Education has dismissed reports linking the Minister of Education to delays in the resumption of newly recruited staff at the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, NELFUND, insisting the agency has no approval for fresh recruitment.

Sources at the ministry told ThisDay that NELFUND is “overstaffed” and struggling with personnel without office space or clear schedules of duty.

“The report in the media that the Honourable Minister of Education’s directive delayed NELFUND employees’ resumption is not only false but misleading,” the source said. 

“We can authoritatively state that there is no approval for any recruitment exercise in NELFUND at this time.”

According to the source, the issue was first addressed at a meeting between the NELFUND Executive Management team and the chairman, Mr. Jim Ovia, in Lagos.

 At the meeting, the chairman was said to have halted the recruitment process, citing the absence of board approval and the fact that management had not formally discussed any hiring plans.

The source alleged that when three Executive Directors asked the Managing Director for proof of authorization, their request was ignored.

 “Despite objections from three senior officials, the MD proceeded independently, organising recruitment exercises and conducting documentation outside official channels,” the source stated.

The chairman, it was gathered, directed that those recruited outside due process should not be placed on the organization’s payroll. He also ordered a comprehensive review of staff ranks to ensure compliance with organizational protocols.

Following a recent visit by management to the minister’s office, the source claimed the MD held a private meeting with aides where he vowed to continue with the exercise.

“For clarity and verification, we recommend reaching out to the Board Secretary and the Executive Director of Operations. They can confirm the instructions given in Lagos regarding the recruitment freeze and staff rank review,” the source added.

The source further described the situation at NELFUND as “alarming,” stating that “approximately 80% of the workforce is redundant.”

This, he said, was acknowledged at a recent management meeting where all four key leaders agreed that urgent steps were needed to address the redundancy crisis.

“It is worth noting that the intervention by the Honourable Minister has been instrumental in averting organizational collapse,” the source concluded.

NELFUND is responsible for the administration of student loans to eligible Nigerians in tertiary institutions.