The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has rejected the Federal Government’s newly launched Tertiary Institution Loan Scheme, describing it as a “mockery” of university workers and a diversion from pressing issues in the education sector.
The scheme, unveiled by the Ministry of Education, offers interest-free loans of up to ₦10 million to tertiary institution staff, with a one-year moratorium and a five-year repayment plan. It is aimed at boosting staff welfare, financial stability, and professional development.
But speaking in Uyo on Monday, ASUU’s Calabar Zonal Coordinator, Mr. Ikechuku Igwenyi, dismissed the initiative as “an insult to the sensibilities of university workers.” He argued that the loan was a distraction from unresolved matters such as salary stagnation, unpaid deductions, and unimplemented agreements dating back more than a decade.
Igwenyi, whose zone covers eight universities including the University of Calabar, University of Uyo, Ebonyi State University, and Abia State University, faulted the government for proposing loans while retaining a 17-year-old salary structure. “No sensible worker goes for a loan to feed if adequately remunerated,” he said, describing the initiative as “a poison chalice.”
The union also criticized the plan to make staff unions guarantors of the loans, questioning the sustainability of repayments under the current wage system. ASUU further accused the government of resorting to “teasers, blackmail, and distractions” such as IPPIS, palliatives, and NELFUND whenever the union demands meaningful dialogue.
ASUU reaffirmed its total rejection of the scheme and warned that its scheduled meeting with the Federal Government on August 28 would be the last it would attend, citing the “predictable and unserious” outcomes of previous engagements.
