From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
Former President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba, has strongly condemned plans to scrap the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), warning that such a move would have devastating consequences for Nigerian universities and other tertiary institutions.
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% 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.
Speaking at the National Leadership Retreat organised by the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) on Wednesday in Abuja, Wabba said that TETFund has been the backbone of funding for critical infrastructure and staff training in tertiary institutions.
According to Wabba, scrapping the fund would be disastrous because the Nigerian budget system is already inadequate and unable to fully cater to the needs of universities.
“For some time now, the major funding to our universities and other tertiary institutions has actually been from TETFund, especially for critical infrastructures needed in those universities, because those infrastructures are dilapidated. Even the issue of training or retraining the manpower in the university system, at a point, TETFund had to intervene. Therefore, it is a major pillar that is today sustaining our university system,” he said.
He noted that even state governors have opposed the scrapping of TETFund, alongside trade unions, which recognise its vital role in sustaining higher education.
“The budget system is already limited, and there are many competing demands. But education is critical, and 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 it is doing a good job,” he added.
On the issue of labour disputes and the declining appeal of strikes, Wabba pointed to the need for strong collective bargaining as a solution.
“In the decent work agenda of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), of which Nigeria is a member country, one of the major 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 at 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. But workers are the engine room of the economy; they create the wealth that even politicians rely on. Their concerns must be taken seriously,” he asserted.
Regarding concerns about internal sabotage within labour unions, Wabba stated that unions have well-established mechanisms to address both internal and external challenges. He stressed that maintaining unity within unions is essential for protecting workers’ interests.
On reports that some workers received reduced salaries this month, Wabba stated that he had not received formal complaints but advised affected workers to report the matter to their unions.
“If any worker’s salary has been reduced, they should first report to their union. We have unions in all sectors to protect workers’ interests. The issue of salary is actually a legal agreement between an employer and a worker. There is no way an employer can unilaterally reduce the salary of a worker. That is illegal, and that should not be acceptable,” he stated.
Wabba assured that unions would take up any such complaints and escalate them to labour centres for appropriate action.