Comfort Isaac
The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has described the Federal Government’s Tertiary Institution Staff Support Loan Scheme, TISSLS, as yet another antics to divert attention from signing and implementing the draft renegotiated agreement.
Recall that Federal Government had launched the Tertiary Institutions Staff Support Fund, a welfare and empowerment initiative offering academic and non-academic staff of Nigerian tertiary institutions, interest-free loans of Ten Million Naira.
Addressing a press conference in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital on Monday, the zonal Cordinator of ASUU, Calabar zone, Comrade Ikechuku Igwenyi who was flanked by Chairpersons of the eight chapters in the zone including the Immediate past zonal Cordinator, Comrade Happiness Uduk wondered how a government that owe her workforce and refuses to implement the 2009 agreement with the union would turn around to offer same workforce interest free loan; describing such gesture as “slavish” and insult on their sensibilities.
Igwenyi also wondered why government could not use such funds to stabilize the workers through payment of their salaries and improvement on their wages but chose to embark on frivolities.
He queried, “How can a responsible government, in the face of these debts owed university lecturers, turn around to ask University based unions to take the responsibility of guaranteeing the loan they know nothing about? Which salary structure will be used for the repayment? Where will this huge amount government wants to invest in this so-called interest free loan come from?
“They have succeeded in imposing NELFUND on the system and trapped students in a slavish loan that will cage the future of our children and having succeeded, they have turned around to tie the hands and brains of their parents with this impossible loan scheme. We therefore make bold to reject the Tertiary Institution Staff Support Loan and everything it represents because it has been described as a poison chalice.
“It insults our sensibilities that a government that pays her workforce with an outdated salary structure adopted 17 years ago, will refuse to renegotiate the same salary since 2012 it was due; refuse to pay 3rd part deductions for salaries paid almost a year ago and arrears of promotion; constituted several Renegotiation Committees, which produced many well-thought-out agreements with MOUs, MOAs and timelines without implementation.”
The Zonal Cordinator lamented that each time the union pressed their demands and tried to bring government to a dialogue table; “it would come up with teasers, blackmails and distractions such as “inauguration of new Renegotiation Panel, Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), salary award that is outside the principles of collective bargaining, palliatives, NELFUND and now, Tertiary Institution Staff Support Loan Scheme”
The Cordinator highlighted some of their agitations to include: outdated salary structure, obsolete infrastructure, non-conducive learning environment, proliferation of universities without assured sources of sustainable funding for revitalization, research and development, undue interference and intimidations by Visitors of Universities among others.
He, therefore called for immediate signing and implementation of the draft renegotiated 2009 agreement, domestication and implementation of this agreement by respective Visitors of State-owned Universities, release and payment of three and half months outstanding salaries of members and the 3rd party deductions by IPPIS.
Other demands include: Payment of promotion arrears and implementation of mainstreamed EAA in their salaries, Review of the NUC Act to accommodate some of the lapses as have been pointed out.
Respect for the TETFund Act and an end to the abuse and misuse of TETFund monies to fund sundry expenses instead of research and academic development.
