Port harcourt: The Federal Government has unveiled a sensitisation campaign to highlight the achievements of President Bola Tinubu’s two years in office. Alhaji Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation, inaugurated the exercise in Port Harcourt, with the theme: ‘Tinubu Administration’s Mid-Term Report.’
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Idris, represented by Mr Gabriel Obokuru, Head of the Federal Information Centre in Port Harcourt, stated that the Federal Government had made significant investments in the South-South over the past two years. The campaign aims to acquaint Nigerians in the South-South with the policies and programmes of the Federal Government relating to their region. Idris emphasized that the Tinubu-led administration has initiated and completed various programmes to address the needs of the people in the region, with some still in progress.
Idris cited the Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprise – Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) and the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) as initiatives that have benefitted thousands of citizens in the South-South. He stressed the importance of educating citizens on how they can support government plans in their respective states, constituencies, and localities.
Dr Helen Nsirim, Information and Public Relations Officer in the ministry, highlighted key achievements of the Federal Government in the South-South region during the period. She revealed that N500 million had been disbursed to 1,797 farmers in Edo under the LIFE-ND programme, which has also been implemented in eight other states in the region. The programme is jointly financed by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Federal Government, and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
Nsirim also mentioned other programmes such as the Student Loan Scheme, Three Million Technical Talent (3MTT) initiative, Renewed Hope Housing Scheme, and Bank of Industry low-interest loans to micro-enterprises. She disclosed that the government had embarked on the construction of the 700-kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, which spans multiple states including Ogun, Ondo, Delta, and others. Residents are encouraged to register for various schemes that offer opportunities to transform their lives and communities.
The News Agency of Nigeria further reports that a panel session discussed the topic: ‘Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) Beneficiaries in Rivers State: Their Journey So Far and the Genuineness of the Programme.’ Prof. Sunny Orike, Head ICT and Desk Officer of NELFUND at Rivers State University, expressed concern over the low number of subscribers to the loan. He explained that all Nigerian students in federal and state-owned tertiary institutions, except private universities, are eligible for the zero-interest loan, with repayment starting two years after graduation and securing employment. Interested students can apply for the loan via the NELFUND website.