By Milcah Tanimu
The Humanity Development and Empowerment Organisation (HDEO) has urged the federal government to settle a N12 billion loan owed to creditors, which was borrowed by civil servants. Osita Nebolisa, the outgoing national president of HDEO, raised this issue in Abuja over the weekend. He explained that while the government had deducted the loan amounts from workers’ salaries, it had failed to remit the funds to the creditors.
Nebolisa, also the founder of Visa Microfinance Bank, stressed that the incoming president, Dele Apanisile, and his team must work with the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) to resolve the matter.
“One of our most pressing challenges remains the recovery of over N12 billion,” Nebolisa stated as he handed over leadership to the new executive council. He also called for unified support to ensure the retrieval of these funds and prevent future losses under the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).
Under Nebolisa’s leadership, the association – composed of commercial, microfinance banks, and finance companies – provided over N6 billion in loans to more than 2,000 civil servants. Additionally, in 2023, the HDEO signed a service level agreement (SLA) with the OAGF to facilitate fair access to credit and safeguard stakeholders’ interests.