No fewer than 180 students in Enugu State were on Thursday trained on financial discipline and savings by the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC).
The students, who were drawn from three schools namely; Metropolitan Girls, Urban Girls and City Girls Secondary Schools, Enugu, were also trained on how to embark on investments.
The corporation trained the students while commemorating the “2023 Financial Literacy Day” with the theme: “Plan Your Money, Plant Your Future”.
Reports that Financial Literacy Day is observed every March 23 but NDIC could not celebrate it in Enugu in March due to unforseen circumstances including the last general elections and insecurity in the zone.
The day was set aside to raise awareness of the importance of having a good understanding of personal finance and knowledge and behaviour of financial decisions.
It is also created to increase public awareness of the importance of savings both for modern economies and for individuals alike.
Speaking at the event held at the Metropolitan Girls Secondary School, the NDIC Coordinator of the programme, Mr Abdullahi Ubam, said the programme was part of government’s initiatives towards encouraging financial savings among students.
He said it was targeted at promoting sound financial literacy among youths, beginning with elementary schools and others.
According to him, the initiative will encourage financial prudence and resource management among the students.
He explained that NDIC used the celebration to sensitise students in secondary schools on the culture of savings, financial management and investment as well as budgeting.
“For this reason, we have engaged 180 students from three different schools in Enugu to prepare for future through savings and investment,” he said.
In a remark, the Chairman, Post Primary School Management Board (PPSMB), Enugu, Rev. Fr. Hilary Mgbodile, lauded NDIC for continuous partnership with the board in training of its students on need to imbibe on financial literacy for future purposes.
Mgbodile represented by the Dr Ifeyinwa Nwankwo, Director of Education Services, PPSMB, described the training as ‘impactful and educative’ as it would help the students to manage their finances.
“The organiser is doing so well and the students are doing well also from the questions they asked,” Mgbodile said.
Taking the students on the theme, the Head of Quality Control, NDIC, Enugu Zonal Office, Onyim Elechi urged students to create a budget, track their spending and save for their future.
He also admonished them to distinguish between their needs and wants as well as saving their money in banks for the rainy day.
“You can save for future using saving box, as a group or using bank which NDIC is there to secure for you and one can make wrong investment when he/she did not plan for it,” he advised them.
Speaking in an interview, the Senior Prefect, Metropolitan Girls Secondary School, Miss Miriam Chiemerie told journalists that the training would guide her on how to spend her money in future.
“They educated us on best way to invest our money so as to prevent unforseen obstacles in future,” she added.
She commended NDIC, saying they were doing wonderful job by teaching them on how to utilise their money properly.