
By Cross Udo, Abuja
Comrade Ayuba Wabba, the immediate past President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has warned the government against scrapping the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).
He said such a move would devastate Nigerian universities and other tertiary institutions.
Recall that one of the recommendations in the tax reform bills currently under consideration at the National Assembly is the proposed reduction of allocations to TETFund, which has been instrumental in supporting public universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education in Nigeria.
According to the bill, starting in 2025, only 50 percent of the Education Tax will be allocated to TETFund, with the remaining funds redirected to other initiatives, including the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, NELFUND.
Additionally, the bill outlines plans for the complete phasing out of TETFund by 2030, with all proceeds from the education tax to be redirected to NELFUND.
However, speaking at the National Leadership Retreat organized by the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) yesterday in Abuja, the former NLC President said that TETFund has been sustaining universities in the country, especially in the areas of funding for critical infrastructure and staff training in tertiary institutions.
According to Wabba, the move to scrap it would reduce Nigerian universities to a zero level, which would be disastrous because the Nigerian budget system is already inadequate and unable to fully cater to universities’ needs.
He said, “For some time now, the major funding for our universities and other tertiary institutions has actually come from TETFund, especially for critical infrastructures that are needed in those universities because those infrastructures are dilapidated.
“Even the training or retraining of the manpower in the university system, at a point, TETFund had to intervene. And therefore, it is a major pillar that sustains our university system today,” he said.
He noted that even state governors and trade unions, which recognize its vital role in sustaining higher education, have opposed the scrapping of TETFund.
“The budget system is already limited, with many competing demands. However, education is critical; in the past, it used to be one of the government’s top priorities. We need to return to the basics and continue to strengthen TETFund because they are doing a good job,” he added.
Regarding labour disputes and the declining appeal of strikes, Wabba stressed the need for intense collective bargaining as a solution.
According to him, “In the decent work agenda of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), of which Nigeria is a member country, one of the significant provisions to achieve decent work in countries around the world is the issue of prioritising collective bargaining.
“Collective bargaining means once unions have grievances at all levels, be it at the branch level or the national level, the government should be able to bring them to the table and reach an agreement in good faith, and that agreement should be implemented. That’s the only way out because even workers do not like going on strike. It’s a matter of last resort,” he explained.
He added that strikes “cannot be completely eroded because some employers are very critical, and basically, they don’t see anything good in workers. However, workers are the economy’s engine room; they create the wealth that even politicians rely on. Their concerns must be taken seriously.”
Regarding internal sabotage within labour unions, Wabba stated that unions have well-established mechanisms to address internal and external challenges. He stressed that maintaining union unity is essential for protecting workers’ interests.
Reports that some workers received reduced salaries this month prompted Wabba to state that he had not received formal complaints but advised affected workers to report the matter to their unions.
“If workers’ salary has been reduced, they should report to their union first. We have unions in all sectors to protect workers’ interests. Because the issue of salary is a legal agreement between an employer and a worker, there is no way an employer unilaterally will reduce a worker’s salary. That is illegal, and that should not be acceptable,” he stated.
Wabba assured unions would take up any such complaints and escalate them to labor centers for appropriate action.