The Humanity Development and Empowerment Organisation has called on the federal government to repay the ₦12 billion borrowed by civil servants.
In a statement in Abuja over the weekend, the outgoing national president of HDEO, also known as the Lenders Association, Osita Nebolisa,
said the government had deducted the loans from workers but had failed to remit the funds to the creditors.
Nebolisa, founder of Visa Microfinance Bank, urged Dele Apanisile, the incoming president of the Lenders Association, and his team to work toward resolving the issue with the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.
He emphasized the need for action to address the failure to remit the ₦12 billion deducted from civil servants’ loans.
“One of our most pressing challenges remains the recovery of over N12 billion,” the outgoing president said as he handed over to the new executive council. “The incoming leadership, consisting largely of experienced members from the current team, brings valuable continuity to this effort.
“To those few who may have reservations, I appeal for unified support of their strategies to retrieve these funds and prevent future losses through the IPPIS deduction system.”
Nebolisa stated that under his leadership, the association, which includes commercial banks, microfinance banks, and finance companies, disbursed over ₦6 billion in loans to more than 2,000 civil servants.
He also mentioned that a Service Level Agreement was signed in 2023 with the Office of the OAGF to establish a framework for equitable access to credit and safeguard the interests of stakeholders.
