*Moves to investigate compliance of MDAs, corporate bodies with ITF Act
*Probes Customs, NPA, NRC others over alleged illegal disposal of multi-billion naira FG’s assets
Juliet Akoje in Abuja
The House of Representatives yesterday urged public tertiary institutions in the country, not to take advantage of the introduction of the Students Loans and Access to Higher Education in Nigeria Act to increase tuition fees.
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion moved by Hon. Terseer Ugbor at plenary yesterday.
Ugbor, stated that the use of students loans and educational credit schemes in most countries of the world was often justified on the grounds that it guarantees greater access to higher education for the less privileged citizens and was further predicated on the notion that education remains an investment in human capital.
He noted that while the objectives and intention of the Students Loans (Access to Higher Education) Act, 2023, were patriotic, there were several critical omissions and identifiable bottlenecks that would stultify or frustrate the successful implementation of the Act if immediate further legislative action is not taken to ensure its efficient implementation.
“The House notes that while financial support from family members and relatives is often considered a traditional source for funding higher education globally, recent trends in the past sixty years indicate that governments in both developed and developing countries have in place various Students loan and Educational Credit Schemes to enable students to borrow towards the funding of higher education,” he added.
The lawmaker however, added that after several years of unsuccessful attempts by successive administrations to introduce students loans, scholarships and other educational credit schemes, the 9th National Assembly passed the Students Loans (Access to Higher Education) Bill, 2023 which was recently signed into law by the President to provide the legal and institutional framework for implementation of a Students Loan Scheme in the country.
The House while adopting the motion resolved to constitute an Adhoc Committee to convene a Legislative summit on students loans and access to higher education with all stakeholders in the education sector.
Also yesterday, the House set up an Ad hoc Committee to investigate the level of compliance of Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government and Corporate bodies with the Industrial Training Fund Act and other encumbrances affecting the success of the Scheme from 2010 — 2023 and report back within four weeks for further legislative action.
This resolution followed the adoption of a motion moved by Hon. Taofeek Ajilesoro at plenary.
Ajilesoro noted that Section 6 (1) and (3) of the Industrial Training Fund Act provides that “Every employer having either five or more employees in his establishment or having less than five employees but with a turnover of N50 million and above per annum, shall in respect of each calendar year and or the prescribed date, contribute to the fund one per cent of his total annual payroll.
“(3) any liable organisation, public or private including companies situated in the free trade zone requiring approval for expatriate quota and/or utilising custom services in matters of export and import, must show proof of compliance with this Act in respect of payment of training contribution of his employees and all regulatory agencies of the Federal Government shall ensure compliance with the provisions of section 6 (1) (3) of this Act.”
However, Ajilesoro added that “reports from various sources show that the ITF has consistently underperformed and the skill gap and shortage in the nation’s economy are evident in the fact that in the last ten years, many Nigerians have resorted to expatriates from East Asia, neighbouring countries to undertake their technical and even menial jobs in building, construction and industrial sectors resulting to the increased rate of unemployment with attendant consequences on our nation’s security and economy despite the initiative and emphasis by the federal government.”
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives yesterday, also resolved to carry out a comprehensive probe into the alleged illegal disposal and auctioning of the multi-billion naira assets belonging to the federal government agencies from 2010- 2022.
This was sequel to the adoption of a motion moved by Hon. Busayo Oluwole Oke: (PDP-OSUN).
Oke stated that the affected agencies included the Nigeria Ports Authority, the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Nigeria Railway Corporation, River Basin Development Authority and Nigeria Customs Service.
The lawmaker who was the 9th Assembly Chairman, Public Accounts Committee PAC, noted that the procedures for the disposal and auctioning of government assets in Nigeria are well spelt out in Financial Regulations 2009 and Public Procurement Act 2007 among others.
“Disturbed that the Nigeria Ports Authority, Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Nigeria Railway Corporation, River Basin Development Authority and Nigeria Customs Service have been auctioning public property not only at a ridiculous price but also without following due process,” he alleged.
He however urged the House to set up an Ad-hoc Committee to investigate the matter.
