The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Lagos (UNILAG) chapter, has rejected the Federal Government’s proposed loan scheme for university lecturers, describing it as a “Greek gift” and insisting that its members are not interested in such offers.
The decision was announced during a special congress held on Tuesday, where members restated their full support for the national leadership of ASUU and its ongoing strategies to press home the union’s demands.
Why UNILAG Lecturers Rejected FG’s Loan Scheme
Addressing members during a solidarity march across the UNILAG campus, Branch Chairman, Prof. Idowu Kehinde, said the loan proposal was unnecessary since what lecturers truly need is fair remuneration.
According to him, if the Federal Government fulfills its promises on salary payments and allowances, lecturers would not need to borrow money.
“The loans are to be guaranteed by our union. This is not necessary. Each university’s Governing Council can provide loans to staff under existing conditions of service. If lecturers are paid a living wage and all entitlements, who would want to go borrowing? Let government do the needful, and we are okay,” Prof. Kehinde stressed.
ASUU’s National Stand on the Loan Policy
The UNILAG chapter also voted unanimously to back every action and negotiation step taken by ASUU’s national leadership to ensure the union’s demands are met. This includes improved salaries, payment of withheld allowances, and respect for agreements reached with the Federal Government.
ASUU has consistently criticized policies that, according to them, fail to address the root issues affecting Nigeria’s tertiary institutions. Similar rejections have been recorded in other chapters such as FULafia and UNIUYO, where lecturers staged protests against what they described as the “pauperisation” of academics.
What This Means for Nigerian Universities
The rejection of the loan scheme by UNILAG ASUU highlights the growing tension between university lecturers and the Federal Government. While government officials have described the scheme as a measure to ease financial burdens, lecturers argue that it is a distraction from the real issue — poor remuneration and inadequate funding of public universities.
Until a lasting solution is reached, the standoff is expected to continue, with ASUU insisting that fair pay and respect for agreements are the only ways to ensure stability in Nigeria’s higher education system.
