CONUA Commends FG Loan Initiative, Demands Better Welfare
The Congress of University Academics (CONUA) has reacted to the Federal Government’s launch of the Tertiary Institution Staff Support Fund (TISSF), which provides eligible academic and non-academic staff with loans of up to N10m.
While acknowledging the initiative as a welcome development, the union insists that loans are not substitutes for earned entitlements or a living wage.
In a statement signed by its National President, Dr Niyi Sunmonu, on Tuesday, CONUA emphasised that university lecturers require sustainable welfare measures, not access to credit.
“The economic reality in which academics live demands immediate, non-loan-based interventions. Loans are not substitutes for earned entitlements or living wages,” the statement read.
The union listed a backlog of unresolved issues affecting university academics, including unpaid Earned Academic Allowance, withheld salaries, promotion arrears, and unremitted third-party deductions.
CONUA also called for a comprehensive salary review, noting that the last major wage adjustment for academics occurred in 2009.
The union urged the Federal Government to address pension-related challenges, including the prompt release of pension arrears and the removal of bottlenecks delaying payment to retired lecturers.
While commending the introduction of the TISSF scheme, CONUA insisted that all stakeholder unions, including itself, must be represented in the implementation and monitoring of the scheme.
“We strongly urge that the implementation process be guided by fairness, transparency, and inclusiveness,” the statement added.
The union urged the government to complement the scheme with holistic measures that restore confidence, uphold academic dignity, and reflect a genuine commitment to revamping the education sector.
“To achieve these ideals, it is critical that all stakeholder unions, including CONUA, be duly represented on the implementation and monitoring team to ensure equity in access and eliminate bureaucratic or sectional barriers,” it said.
CONUA Commends FG Loan Initiative, Demands Better Welfare is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
