—-Condemns revocation of Abuja Varsity

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

Abuja – The National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) has strongly rejected the Federal Government’s proposed loan scheme for workers, known as the Federal Government Tertiary Institutions Staff Support Fund (TISSF), describing it as a perpetual financial burden for its members.

Instead of accepting the proposed loan, NAAT has urged the government to fulfill its obligation by paying all outstanding arrears legitimately owed to its members. These include three and a half months of withheld salaries, seven months of arrears for Occupational Hazard Allowance (OHA), and the release of deductions withheld from salaries paid during two months, among others.

In a statement released on Wednesday and signed by NAAT President, Comrade Ibeji Nwokoma, the association emphasized that subscribing to the staff support loan scheme would be tantamount to taking salary advances, effectively enslaving members financially.

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

“After a thorough review of the TISSF loan document, NAAT considers the scheme a distraction and rejects it unequivocally. Our members do not require a loan that will perpetually enslave them by forcing them to take their salaries in advance. We already have NAAT cooperatives that address the short-term financial needs of our members.

“Rather, NAAT demands immediate payment of all legitimately earned outstanding arrears, including the three and a half months of withheld salaries, seven months arrears of Occupational Hazard Allowance, release of third-party deductions for two months of withheld but paid salaries, eleven months arrears of Responsibility Allowance (RA), twelve months arrears representing the 25% and 35% salary increments, four months arrears of the wage award, arrears of the N30,000 minimum wage for omitted members (implemented in 2019), and the release of supplementary funds to clear outstanding claims for earned allowances.”

NAAT also condemned the FCT Minister’s alleged revocation of a substantial portion of land owned by Yakubu Gowon University. The association described this action as both unilateral and arbitrary, asserting that it violates existing laws controlling the university’s land and would disrupt the institution’s masterplan.

The statement further noted:
“The land in question is a national treasure and cannot simply be disposed of at will. It was specifically allocated to support future development in research centers, new academic programs, growing student population, and additional hostel accommodations.

“The revocation of the land, which reduces the university’s land allocation to only four thousand (4,000) hectares from eleven thousand (11,000), was done without proper consultation or consideration of the university’s masterplan, severely limiting its planned expansion.”

NAAT appealed to the federal government to utilize the TISSF funds to settle all outstanding claims owed to its members. The association also called on the National Assembly, especially the committees on tertiary education and TETFund in both the Senate and House of Representatives, to intervene and ensure the reversal of the FCT Minister’s land revocation decision in the interest of national development.

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