Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) staged protests across Nigeria on Tuesday, condemning the Federal Government’s neglect of their demands and rejecting the newly introduced Tertiary Institution Staff Support Fund loan scheme.
At the University of Jos, ASUU members rallied before addressing the press, denouncing the loan initiative as a “poison chalice” that exacerbates lecturers’ financial struggles.
Joseph Molwus, ASUU branch chairperson at the University of Jos, dismissed the loan scheme as a misguided effort that fails to address lecturers’ economic realities.
“We don’t need loans; we need our legitimate entitlements paid,” Molwus declared, highlighting unpaid salaries, earned academic allowances, promotion arrears, revitalization funds, wage awards, and unremitted third-party deductions.
He questioned the government’s push for lecturers to borrow for basic needs like healthcare and school fees while it owes them billions in arrears.
The union also criticized the government’s failure to conclude the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement, accusing it of abandoning collective bargaining principles despite years of discussions and committee reports.
Molwus warned that the government’s inaction threatens the industrial harmony universities have maintained for over two years, raising the specter of another nationwide strike that could disrupt academic activities.
ASUU expressed disappointment in President Bola Tinubu’s administration, recalling his 2022 campaign pledge to prevent university strikes.
“Two years into his tenure, the major issues remain unresolved,” Molwus said, urging the president to engage directly with ASUU leaders to “renew the hope” of lecturers and the education sector.
The Jos protest was part of a coordinated nationwide demonstration by ASUU branches.
The union reiterated its commitment to dialogue but cautioned that patience is wearing thin.
Unless the government urgently addresses the outstanding obligations and stalled negotiations, ASUU warned, Nigeria’s universities risk sliding back into crisis.
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