The student’s loan bill, which provides for interest-free loans to indigent Nigerian students has passed third reading at the House of Representatives.
Another critical bill, which seeks to reserve 10 per cent of available jobs in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government for Persons Living With Disabilities (PLWD) also passed third reading.
The two bills, which were sponsored by the Speaker, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, passed third reading at the House on Wednesday in Abuja along with 10 other bills.
The long titles of the speaker’s bills read, “A Bill for an Act to Repeal the Nigerian Education Bank Act and Enact the Students’ Loan (Access to Higher Education) Act to Provide Easy Access to Higher Education for Indigent Nigerians through Interest-Free Loans from the Nigerian Education Loan Fund Established in this Act with a view to Provide Education for all Nigerians and for Related Matters”; and “A Bill for an Act to Provide that 10% of Jobs available in all Federal Government Ministries, Departments, Agencies and Companies be distributed among the physically challenged persons in Nigeria where such Persons apply and are Qualified for the Job and for Related Matters.”
A third bill, which is a money bill authorising the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to spend the sum of N579.69 billion as its budget for 2023, was also passed by the House.
Other bills that passed third reading on Wednesday were:
. A Bill for an Act to Repeal the Exclusive Economic Zone Act, Cap. E17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and the Territorial Waters Act, Cap. T5, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and Enact the Nigerian Maritime Zones Act to Provide for the Maritime Zones of Nigeria and for Related Matters.
. A Bill for an Act to Amend the Orthopaedic Hospitals Management Board Act, Cap. O10, laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to provide for Establishment