News Investigators/ The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Calabar Zone, has described as `poisoned chalice and unacceptable distraction,’ the Tertiary Institutions Staff Support Loan Scheme offered by the Federal Government.
The ASUU Zonal Coordinator, Calabar zone, Ikechuku Igwenyi, made the position of the union known at a news conference in Uyo, Akwa Ibom on Monday.
Mr Igwenyi said that ASUU viewed the loan as a distraction and an attempt by federal government to impoverish members instead of honouring the 2009 agreement.
He said that the union was not consulted and their inputs not considered in establishing the tertiary support loan scheme.
He said that the loan conditions are so stringent, as even professors in the universities cannot repay N10 million loan in 48 months if they access it.
“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 institutions staff support loan and everything it represents, because it is more or less a poisoned chalice,” Igwenyi said.
Mr Igwenyi said that ASUU decried the failure of federal government to keep to agreements, stressing that it has refused to renegotiate their conditions of service since the 2009 agreement.
He disclosed that government had invited the leadership of the union for dialogue on Aug. 28 to discuss the issues affecting ASUU and the universities.
He said that the outcome of the meeting will have consequences and will determine the stability of the universities in the country.
“That federal government of Nigeria has blatantly refused to renegotiate our conditions of service after the 2009 agreement and as a result, lecturers have not been adequately remunerated.
“We are underpaid and living in misery with multiple records of death and sick lecturers in our branches.
“The salary structure used to pay Nigerian University workers is presently about 17 years old and out of tune with current economic realities.” he said.
He said that universities and institutional structures have become obsolete, dilapidated, weak and inadequate for effective learning.
Mr Igwenyi attributed all these to inadequate funds for revitalisation.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the conference was attended by; Happiness Uduk, immediate past Zonal Coordinator, Calabar Zone, Chidi Mba, Chairperson, ASUU ABSU and Frank Namso Ndareke Chairperson, ASUU AKSU among others.
NAN
