The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has rejected the Federal Government’s recently introduced loan initiative for tertiary institution workers, insisting that the union’s primary demand is a comprehensive salary review to reflect current economic realities.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with News Men on Thursday, ASUU President, Professor Christopher Piwuna, described the loan initiative as a distraction from the fundamental issue of poor remuneration faced by university lecturers and other academic staff.
The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Education, had unveiled the Tertiary Institution Staff Support Fund (TISSF), which offers academic and non-academic staff in tertiary institutions loans of up to ₦10 million, capped at 33.3 percent of their gross annual salary. The Minister of State for Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, noted that the scheme aims to improve welfare, financial stability, and professional development in colleges of education, polytechnics, and universities.
However, Professor Piwuna said such financial aid falls short of addressing the deeper concerns of university lecturers and could worsen their financial burden.
“Giving loans to university workers is not a novel idea. Many universities already have internal arrangements that allow staff to access loans. What we are asking for is a salary structure that reflects the economic realities we face,” Piwuna said.
He argued that relying on loan disbursement would do little to solve the core issues plaguing academics in Nigeria.
“Such loans won’t be able to address the needs of our members. In fact, they may add to our troubles, given the harsh economic situation in the country. What we want is fair and adequate remuneration—not loans,” he added.
Piwuna also used the opportunity to remind the government of the outstanding three-and-a-half months’ salaries owed to ASUU members since their 2022 industrial action.
He stressed that the withheld salaries were for work already done and should not be considered a favor.
“We thank the Tinubu administration for paying a portion of the arrears, but we still expect the remaining balance to be paid. It is not a gift—it is payment for services rendered,” the ASUU president stated.
He called on President Bola Tinubu to prioritize settling the outstanding wages and focus on long-term solutions that address the financial challenges faced by academics, rather than short-term stopgaps like loan programs.
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