The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has called on the Federal Government to remove the union from the newly launched Tertiary Institutions Staff Support Fund (TISSF) and announced plans for nationwide protests over unresolved disputes.
In a communiqué issued after its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting at Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto, ASUU President Christopher Piwuna said the union rejects being listed as a “guarantor of loans it knows nothing about,” describing the move as a government ploy.
“NEC resolved to reject the ploy to conscript ASUU as ‘guarantor’ of loans the union knows nothing about and demands that ASUU be delisted from the process,” the communiqué read. “NEC also resolved to press for the release of the withheld three-and-a-half-month salaries of ASUU members instead of loans that will add little or no value to their lives.”
ASUU further accused the government of foot-dragging on key issues, including the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement, funding for universities, and academic freedom. It resolved to hold simultaneous branch protests and press conferences, with dates to be announced later.
The communiqué also urged the government to quickly conclude the renegotiation process led by the Yayale Ahmed Committee and confirmed plans to unveil the “Tertiary Institutions Transparency and Accountability Solution” (TITAS) to replace its earlier University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS).
The protests come in response to the TISSF, launched last week by Minister of State for Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa. The zero-interest loan scheme allows tertiary institution staff to access up to N10 million, with eligibility tied to having at least five years left before retirement and membership in associations like ASUU, SSANU, and NASU.
