The Federal Government has pushed back against the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU)'s dismissal of the Tertiary Institutions Staff Support Fund (TISSF), asserting that the program is a key measure to improve welfare, productivity, and innovation for academic and non-academic staff in Nigeria's tertiary institutions.
ASUU had labeled the TISSF a "debt trap" and called on the government to prioritize settling withheld salaries and finalizing the renegotiated agreement with the union instead.
Speaking at the ceremonial disbursement of cheques and approval letters to beneficiaries at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) in Ondo State, Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, emphasized that the initiative complements existing welfare efforts.
"I want to be clear with our academic union. Some ASUU members said, ‘Oh, don’t give us TISSF; that’s not what we want.’ No. This is support. This is a layer of support in addition to other welfare initiatives we are pursuing to improve the condition of our tertiary institution staff," Alausa said.
He revealed that the first phase has already benefited over 9,000 staff—28 percent of 33,000 verified applicants from 219 federal and state institutions—through the ₦10 million zero-interest loan scheme approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The loan is repayable over five to seven years, with a 24-month moratorium."This money can be used for housing, transportation, healthcare, tuition, or even small business ventures.
It’s a flexible support system to help staff improve their standard of living," the minister added. Disbursements followed a 30:70 ratio for academic and non-academic staff, ensuring broad inclusion.
Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmed, hailed TISSF as a "visionary initiative" underscoring the government's dedication to bolstering tertiary education.
"Without motivated staff, learning becomes difficult. Lecturers, researchers, technologists, and administrators are the backbone of our institutions. Let’s make TISSF a sustainable and impactful mechanism that truly uplifts them," she urged.
She praised the Bank of Industry and partners for their role in the fund's design and pledged ongoing transparency and accountability.
FUTA Vice Chancellor, Prof. Adenike Temidayo Oladiji, called the dual ministerial visit "historic", the first of its kind at the institution and lauded Alausa for reforms such as exempting research accounts from the Treasury Single Account (TSA) and easing TETFund access.
However, she appealed for lasting industrial harmony to avoid strike-induced disruptions. "Prolonged strikes destabilize the system and affect students.
We hope the government will continue to engage stakeholders to ensure uninterrupted learning," Oladiji said.
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