..says it’s a trapped to enslave academics

.. calls for implementation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN renegotiated agreement

By Peter Duru, Makurdi

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has rejected the Federal Government’s newly introduced loan scheme, the Tertiary Institutions Staff Support Fund, TISSF, describing it as a debt trap to enslave academics.

The Federal Government recently introduced the loan scheme, claiming that it would enhance the welfare of academic and non-academic staff in universities, polytechnics and colleges of education in the country.

Addressing the media Tuesday in Makurdi while leading a peaceful protest march at the Joseph Sarwuan Terkaa University Makurdi, JoSTUM, formally Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi, FUAM, the Chairman of ASUU-FUAM, Comrade Paul Anyagh, explained that the union rejected the scheme after analysing its multiplier effects.

The union advised that the government should “instead use such funds to offset withheld salaries and sign our renegotiated agreement to restore our members’ purchasing power. Consequently, congress rejects the TISSF in its entirety.”

The ASUU-FUAM Chairman disclosed also that at the National Executive Council, NEC, of the union which held on August 16 and 17, 2025 at Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto “the Congress reviewed the Federal Government’s persistent neglect of its obligations and noted with dismay that the 2009 ASUU-FGN renegotiated agreement remains unattended to despite the submission of the Alhaji Yayale Ahmed led committee report in February 2025.”

He noted that “members further reviewed with disgust government’s failure on the payment of three and half months of withheld salaries for which all works have been completed, 25%-35% arrears, delayed payment of promotion arrears of over four years, and continued victimzation of our colleagues in LASU, KSU and FUTO and to ensure sustainable funding and revitalization of public universities.”

The ASUU-FUAM also decried the plight of retired academics stating that after decades of service “they are subjected to paltry pensions that cannot sustain them in today’s harsh economy.

“So congress resolved that unless urgent action is taken at the government’s scheduled meeting of 28 August 2025, members can no longer guarantee industrial harmony. Our patience has been stretched beyond the limits, and the responsibility for any disruption of academic activities should be placed squarely on the government.”

The union appealed to all well-meaning Nigerians, including the traditional institution, and the National Assembly, National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, among others to prevail on the government to act fast in order to avert avoidable crisis in the university system.

The members of ASUU-FUAM who marched through the campus bore placards some of which read, “universities are starving and bleeding”, release out three and half months salaries”, “education is a right not a privilege,” and “ASUU says no more memoranda, sign and implement agreement now,” among others.