Nigeria’s students apex body, the National Association of Nigerian students (NANS), on Tuesday, expressed concerns over the persistent failure by the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) in addressing the long-standing issue of unpaid and delayed Students’ Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) allowances.
This the students lamented has continued to affect Nigerian students across different levels of tertiary institutions nationwide.
Comr. Adejuwon Olatunji Emmanuel, the Assistant Secretary General of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS),
National Headquarters, in a statement made to Daily Independent in Lagos, lamented that for several years, thousands of students, who dutifully participated in the SIWES programme, have reportedly been denied their statutory allowances.
The statement reads, “Despite repeated complaints, petitions, and engagements by students’ unions and stakeholders, the situation has remained largely unresolved, subjecting students to undue hardship and eroding confidence in an intervention programme designed to support skill acquisition and workforce development.
“We note with concern that under the leadership of the Director-General of ITF, Dr. Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun, there has been no clear, transparent, or comprehensive explanation to Nigerian students regarding the status of these outstanding payments.
“The continued silence, poor communication, and lack of accountability surrounding SIWES disbursements raise serious questions about administrative efficiency and institutional responsibility within the ITF.
“While we do not pre-empt the outcome of any investigation, the widespread allegations of fund mismanagement and diversion circulating among affected students are deeply troubling and demand urgent clarification. The Federal Government owes Nigerian students an obligation of transparency, especially on matters involving public funds earmarked for education and youth development.”
The Association called on His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to urgently intervene by ordering a comprehensive audit and investigation into the management of SIWES funds over the years.
“Pending the outcome of such an investigation, it is in the interest of institutional integrity and public confidence that the leadership of the ITF be reviewed.
“Nigerian students should not continue to suffer for administrative failures. SIWES is not a privilege; it is a statutory entitlement. Any system that consistently denies students this right has failed its mandate,” NANS emphasised.
