Varsity Union, NAAT Rejects Proposed FG’s Loan Package for Workers

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

One of the university-based unions, National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), has opposed the federal government’s offer to float a loan scheme, known as Tertiary Institutions Staff Support Fund (TISSF), for university workers.

NAAT also condemned an order by Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, revoking the University of Abuja land.

In a statement signed by the NAAT president, Comrade (Hon). Ibeji Nwokoma, the union said after a careful study of the loan document, it became clear that it offered no real benefit but “will perpetually enslave the workers”.

The union said workers accepting the loan amounted to taking their salaries in advance, adding that there are NAAT cooperatives to take care of the short-term financial needs of members.

The statement read in part, “The attention of the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) has been drawn to the Federal Government of Nigeria’s (FGN) publication captioned, ‘Tertiary Institutions Staff Support Fund (TISSF)’, a Federal Ministry of Education and TETFund funded programme and the purported revocation of seven thousand (7,000) out of eleven thousand (11,000) hectares of Yakubu Gowon University (formerly University of Abuja) land by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ezenwo Nyesom Wike.

“After carefully perusing the document on TISSF loan, NAAT views it as a distraction, and therefore rejects it and wishes to make it categorically clear that her members do not need a loan that will perpetually enslave them as it amounts to taking their salaries in advance since there are NAAT cooperatives to take care of the short-term financial needs of members.”

NAAT, instead, urged the federal government to pay all outstanding arrears legitimately earned by its members, which included payment of three and a half months of withheld salaries, payment of seven months arrears of Occupational Hazard Allowance (OHA), and release of third-party deductions for the two months of withheld salaries that were paid.

NAAT said government should pay other entitlements owed members, including payment of 11 months’ arrears of Responsibility Allowance (RA), payment of 12-month arrears of 25 per cent and 35 per cent salary increase, payment of four-month arrears of wage award, payment of arrears of the N30,000 minimum wage to omitted NAAT members (implemented in 2019) as well as the release of supplementary funds to pay the outstanding claims of Earned Allowances of NAAT members.

On the revocation of University of Abuja land by the FCT minister, NAAT condemned what it described as the unilateral and arbitrary action of the minister.

It said the minister’s action violated the laws governing the university, which required amendment by the National Assembly for the action to be legally valid.

NAAT emphasised that the land was not just an asset that could be disposed of at will, but also a national treasure belonging to the institution.

NAAT stated, “This land has been specifically allocated to support future expansion in Research Centres, new academic programmes as well as increase in students’ population and the need for additional hostel accommodations.

“Moreover, the decision to revoke the land was taken without proper consideration of the university’s masterplan which will cause major distortions in its implementation by limiting any expansion to only four thousand (4000) hectares of land.”

NAAT appealed to the federal government to use the TSSIF funds to settle the outstanding claims of NAAT members and also called on the National Assembly, particularly, committees on tertiary education and TETFund at the senate and House of Representatives to call the minister to order with a view to reversing the purported revocation, in the interest of national development.