ASUU rejects FG’s staff loans, seeks moratorium on creation of private varsities

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has rejected a proposed loan scheme for tertiary institution staff.

The union also called on the federal government to extend its ban on the establishment of new universities to include private schools.

Christopher Piwuna, ASUU president, spoke of the union’s pressing demands at a conference on Thursday at the University of Jos.

He warned of a potential nationwide strike if the government fails to address them.

The demands, he said, include the renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement, the revitalisation of public universities, and sustainable funding.

On August 14, the federal government launched an interest-free loan scheme to provide financial support and professional development for staff at tertiary institutions across Nigeria.

The day before, it also imposed a seven-year ban on the establishment of new federal tertiary institutions.

Piwuna said the union’s national executive council (NEC) met on August 16 and 17 and resolved to give the government time to address its pending demands after a planned meeting on August 28.

He said the outcome of this August 28 meeting would determine the union’s next line of action.

The ASUU president said the government’s approach to the negotiation indicates an attempt to disregard the principles of collective bargaining.

He warned that the union’s patience, which has lasted over two years, is running out.

“Trust has been destroyed by the government; it is, therefore, up to them to regain it to avert any strike,” Puwuna said.

Piwuna said ASUU has rejected the government’s proposed Tertiary Institutions Staff Support Fund (TISSF) loan scheme, which he described as a “poison chalice.”

He said the loan scheme would worsen the plight of indebted lecturers and make them vulnerable.

Instead, the union called on the government to use the funds to pay the outstanding salaries owed to its members.

“Our members do not lack where to find loans. Indeed, they are already deep in debt from such loans,” he said.

“What we need now is for the government to sign our renegotiated agreement, which will improve our purchasing power and decrease our reliance on debts from cooperative societies.”

The union also expressed concern over the continued proliferation of universities, despite the government’s recent moratorium on new institutions.

Piwuna said ASUU was surprised when the minister of education announced that over 30 universities had zero subscriptions for admission, a situation he attributed to the establishment of “mushroom universities” for political patronage.

He said the government’s decision to establish nine new private universities shortly after the moratorium was a contradiction that would continue to erase Nigerian universities from world rankings.

“If we agree that access is no longer an issue, why is the NUC giving more licenses to private universities?” Piwuna asked.

“While ASUU acknowledge the rights of private individuals to establish universities, education must be tightly controlled to ensure quality. Government must therefore, promote quality education and shun profiteering in education sector.

We have 72 federal, 108 state universities, 159 private universities, bringing it to a total of 339 universities, giving each state and the FCT an average of 9 universities, excluding polytechnics/colleges of education.

“So why not place a moratorium on both public and private?”

ASUU also called on the government to address the poor retirement benefits of professors and other university staff, noting that some senior academics who have served for over 40 years now earn a meagre monthly pension of N150,000.

Piwuna called on the national assembly to intervene and advise the government against pushing the union into another strike.