In a communiqué issued after its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting at Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto, and signed by President Christopher Piwuna on Tuesday, ASUU described its inclusion in the loan scheme as a ploy by the government to make it a “guarantor of loans it knows nothing about.”
“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 stated.
The union insisted that, instead of introducing loan schemes, the Federal Government should release its members’ withheld three-and-a-half-month salaries, which it said would be of far greater benefit. It also urged the government to conclude the renegotiation of the FGN-ASUU agreement led by Yayale Ahmed and guided by collective bargaining principles.
ASUU accused the government of dragging its feet on issues such as funding, conditions of service, university autonomy, academic freedom, and a review of laws governing the National Universities Commission and Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board.
To press home its demands, ASUU said it would hold protests and press conferences simultaneously across all its branches, with dates to be announced later.
The union also revealed plans to launch the Tertiary Institutions Transparency and Accountability Solution (TITAS), which it said would replace the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS), adding that the new platform was already attracting interest from universities.
The TISSF, a zero-interest loan scheme that allows tertiary institution staff to access up to ₦10 million, was launched last week by Minister of State for Education, Tunji Alausa. Eligibility requires at least five years before retirement and membership of recognised staff associations such as ASUU, SSANU, or NASU.
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