By Erewunmi Peace

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has rejected the Federal Government’s newly introduced ₦10 million interest-free loan scheme for tertiary institution staff, describing it as a diversion from the real issues facing the education sector.

The scheme, known as the Tertiary Institutions Staff Support Fund (TISSF), was launched earlier this month to provide interest-free loans of up to ₦10 million, repayable over five years with a 12-month grace period.

But ASUU, after its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto, said it would not participate in the programme. The union accused the Federal Government of attempting to “conscript ASUU as a guarantor of loans it knows nothing about.”

In a communique released after the meeting, the union stated:

“Our union rejects in totality the so-called ₦10 million loan scheme. This is not what Nigerian universities need. What we demand is proper funding of education, release of withheld salaries, implementation of agreements, and improved welfare conditions for lecturers.”

ASUU also announced plans to hold simultaneous nationwide protests and press conferences across its branches to further press its demands.

The union maintained that the focus should be on resolving lingering issues, including renegotiation of the 2009 agreement, revitalization funds for public universities, and addressing salary arrears, rather than introducing loan schemes.

The Federal Government, on its part, has defended the scheme as a way of supporting staff in tertiary institutions to meet personal financial needs without interest burdens.

With ASUU’s rejection and planned protests, tension is expected to rise across Nigeria’s university system in the coming weeks.