THE ACADEMIC Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) says it is deeply concerned about the poor pension package for its retired members.
The National President of the union, Prof. Christopher Piwuna, made the remark at a news conference in Jos on Thursday.
Piwuna said that it was particularly disturbing that the introduction of the Contributory Pension Scheme in 2024 negatively impacted on the welfare package of its retired members.
“Our retired colleagues continue to bear the brunt of government’s unpopular policies, manifesting in the galloping inflation and rising cost of electricity, transportation, housing, food, and medication, amongst others.
“We are not pleased with the situation, where those who fought for the sustenance of our universities will be treated with disdain.
“A situation where a senior academic, who served for over 40 years ends up with a N150,000 monthly salary is unacceptable in the current economic realities.
“Many of our retired colleagues are battling chronic conditions, taking care of their spouses, caring for their children and grand-children with a paltry amount as pension,” he said.
The ASUU boss said that the union’s position for a university-based pension fund administration was to address such existing anomaly.
He called on the Federal Government to reverse the trend towards a better welfare package for retired lecturers.
Moratorium on new public varsities
Piwuna also commended the Federal Government for placing a seven-year moratorium on the establishment of new public universities in Nigeria.
Describing the move as long overdue, he said the decision would help address the proliferation of universities and allow for better funding and development of existing institutions
“While commending the Federal Government, this is a matter ASUU has long advocated. For over a decade, we’ve raised concerns about the establishment of mushroom universities with no development plans,” Piwuna said, and lamented that ASUU’s previous appeals to halt the expansion had gone unheeded until now.
“We’ve watched universities become tools of political patronage. The moratorium is not only welcome but necessary,” he said, adding that Nigeria currently has 339 universities: 72 federal, 108 state, and 159 privately owned.
“On average, each state and the FCT have about nine universities. This number is outrageous,” he said, noting that more than 30 universities reportedly had zero admission subscriptions.
He warned that spreading limited resources across too many institutions was inefficient and detrimental to education quality.
ASUU also called on the National Universities Commission (NUC) to reconsider the recent approval of nine new private universities, arguing that unchecked expansion, public or private, undermined the system’s sustainability. (NAN)
