Lecturers Reject Federal Government Loan Scheme, Call It Modern-Day Enslavement
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| National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) |
The National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) has firmly opposed the Federal Government’s proposed Tertiary Institutions Staff Support Fund (TISSF) loan initiative, describing it as a “trap” that could economically subjugate university workers in the long term.
According to a statement issued on Wednesday by NAAT National President, Ibeji Nwokoma, the association conducted a thorough review of the loan proposal, which was initiated by the Ministry of Education and financed through TETFund, and concluded that it was not in the best interest of its members.
“Our members do not need a loan that is essentially an advance on their salaries,” Nwokoma stated. “We have well-structured cooperative societies that can meet members’ short-term financial needs without indebting them to the government. This scheme will only perpetually enslave them.”
Union Demands Payment of Outstanding Arrears
Instead of loans, NAAT has urged the Federal Government to prioritise settling all legitimate outstanding arrears owed to academic technologists. These include:
- Three and a half months’ withheld salaries
- Seven months’ arrears of Occupational Hazard Allowance
- Two months’ withheld third-party deductions
- Eleven months’ arrears of Responsibility Allowance
- Twelve months’ arrears of the 25% and 35% salary increase
- Four months’ arrears of wage awards
- Outstanding ₦30,000 minimum wage adjustments for NAAT members omitted since 2019
The association also called for the immediate release of supplementary funds to clear Earned Allowances claims.
Condemnation of Land Revocation at University of Abuja
In a separate development, NAAT strongly criticised the recent revocation of land belonging to the University of Abuja by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, describing it as a “unilateral and illegal act” that undermines the institution’s approved master plan. The union urged the National Assembly to intervene and reverse the decision, warning that such actions set a dangerous precedent for tertiary institutions nationwide.
Call to Redirect TISSF Funds
NAAT insisted that funds allocated for the TISSF should be redirected towards paying lecturers’ and technologists’ entitlements rather than creating a loan scheme. The union argued that doing so would not only ease the financial burdens of education workers but also foster industrial harmony in Nigeria’s tertiary education sector.
For more updates on government–union relations in the education sector, visit the Federal Ministry of Education official website.
