The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has dismissed the federal government’s loan offer for lecturers, describing it as a “Greek gift” and insisting that academic staff are not interested in accepting such assistance.
This stance was affirmed by the University of Lagos (UNILAG) chapter of ASUU during a special congress held on Tuesday, August 26.
During the meeting, the union unanimously agreed to support any actions taken by its national leadership to press home their welfare demands.
Speaking after a solidarity march from the university’s Main Gate through the campus, UNILAG ASUU Chairman, Prof. Idowu Kehinde, argued that the loan scheme was unnecessary and reflective of the government’s failure to meet its responsibilities.
“The loan is expected to be guaranteed by our union, which is unacceptable. Each university’s Governing Council already has the capacity to issue loans to staff under existing conditions of service. If lecturers were paid a living wage and all allowances were settled as agreed, no one would need to borrow,” he stated.
Prof. Kehinde emphasized that the solution lies not in offering loans but in fulfilling agreed-upon obligations. “Let the government do the needful, and there will be no need for any loans,” he added.
