ASUU Strike Won’t Disrupt NELFUND Operations – FG
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has reassured stakeholders that its operations will remain unaffected by the current strike initiated by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
During an interview on Channels Television’s breakfast show, The Morning Brief, on Tuesday, NELFUND’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Akintunde Sawyerr, voiced confidence that the negotiations between ASUU and the Federal Government, led by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, will yield just and favorable results.
“As you may know, the strike has just begun, and I believe that under the commendable leadership of Honourable Minister for Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, the negotiations will keep progressing,” Sawyerr stated.
The FUND announced over the weekend that it would be reopening its loan application platform one final time, allowing tertiary institutions that have not yet completed their student verification process to do so.
In a statement released to journalists in Abuja on Friday by the Director of Strategic Communications for the Fund, Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, it was noted that the application portal would be open from 12:00 a.m. on Sunday, October 12, until 12:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 14.
The extension was implemented to ensure that all eligible students are properly captured and verified by their respective institutions as part of the ongoing 2024/2025 NELFUND loan application process.
Sawyerr expressed confidence that the ministry’s plans “will aim to be equitable and fair and will yield the appropriate outcomes,” assuring that this situation “will not affect our operations because the Federal Government has established a scheme with NELFUND that will address numerous issues in education.”
“I don’t believe this should be compromised at all,” he reiterated. “Even though NELFUND’s funding is aimed at students, the remaining factors are also being handled by the capable leadership of Dr. Tunji Alausa. Therefore, I wish to avoid speculating on those discussions, negotiations, and positions.”
He made it clear that the agency does not want students to suffer negative consequences due to the strike, highlighting the necessity of closely monitoring developments before making any statements.
“The truth is that we don’t want to see students adversely affected in any way,” he stated. “That being said, we must closely observe the discussions and assess how this situation unfolds before we can start making statements about what will be impacted by NELFUND.”
He elaborated that the agency is looking for guidance from the Minister of Education on the way forward, pointing out that talks regarding the strike are still in progress.
“We are seeking advice from the Honourable Minister, who leads us in this matter, and I will look to him for direction on how to proceed,” Sawyerr mentioned. “As of now, it will not influence upkeep, but the negotiations are ongoing, and we need to remain responsive.”
He stressed that NELFUND, as a part of the present administration, is committed to supporting other initiatives to ensure that education operates effectively in Nigeria.
“I prefer not to make any statements until I hear from the Honourable Minister who will offer guidance because this is all part of the overall strategy to ensure education succeeds in Nigeria,” he concluded.
His remarks come as ASUU has rejected the Federal Government’s ‘No Work, No Pay’ policy, asserting that the union will not be swayed by intimidation tactics.
As he stated, the union has remained cohesive and will not yield to what he termed as the government’s efforts to create divisions within the academic community.
“We don’t respond to intimidation, and we cannot be coerced,” Piwuna asserted.
Piwuna emphasized that all academic organizations, including the National Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA) and the Congress of Nigerian University Academics (CONUA), are united in their support for the strike.
‘No Work, No Pay’
On Monday, the Federal Government instructed universities to enforce the ‘No Work, No Pay’ policy against lecturers taking part in the ongoing two-week warning strike.
This instruction was outlined in a circular dated October 13 and signed by the Education Minister.
The Minister expressed the government’s dissatisfaction with ASUU’s choice to initiate a nationwide strike despite ongoing negotiations and appeals for discussion.
“In accordance with current labor laws, the Federal Government reiterates its stance on enforcing the ‘No Work, No Pay’ policy for any employee who does not fulfill their official responsibilities during the strike period,” the letter stated in part.
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