By Awwal Umar Kontagora The Non-Teaching Staff Union of Polytechnics (NOTSUP) has urged the Federal Government to clear all outstanding en...
By Awwal Umar Kontagora
The Non-Teaching Staff Union of Polytechnics (NOTSUP) has urged the Federal Government to clear all outstanding entitlements owed to its members before implementing the Tertiary Institutions Staff Support Fund (TISSF).
In a statement signed by the union’s National President, Comrade Shaba Nakorji, NOTSUP acknowledged the good intentions behind the proposed N10 million interest-free loan under the TISSF. However, the union emphasised that the dignity of labour must be respected through the prompt payment of all previously agreed financial obligations.
The union expressed serious concern over unresolved arrears, which include:
CONTEDISS 15 Migration Arrears (since 2013); promotion arrears for 2023, 2024, and 2025; outstanding salary arrears from the 25% and 35% pay rise; minimum wage consequential adjustment arrears; wage award arrears.
“These are not just figures on paper,” the statement noted. “They represent the legitimate earnings of Nigerian workers who have continued to serve the polytechnic sector with dedication, despite the country’s challenging economic climate.”
The union also condemned the exclusion of Monotechnics and Colleges of Technologies from the TISSF implementation, describing the move as unjust, inequitable, and contrary to the principles of fairness and inclusiveness.
“Monotechnics and Colleges of Technologies are integral to Nigeria’s tertiary education system, just like Polytechnics,” the union argued. Their staff play a crucial role in national development through specialised training and capacity building. Excluding them from TISSF is a grave oversight that must be addressed immediately.”
NOTSUP insisted that the Federal Government must urgently include Monotechnics and Colleges of Technologies in the TISSF to ensure equitable treatment of all workers in the tertiary education sub-sector.
“Anything short of this amounts to institutional discrimination,” the union warned. “Such injustice will not be tolerated.”
The union further declared that both federal and state governments must prioritise the clearance of all outstanding emoluments as a precondition for implementing any new financial intervention scheme, including the TISSF.
It warned that the continued delay in settling entitlements and the selective application of support schemes erode the morale, trust, and economic well-being of members, making industrial harmony difficult to achieve.
NOTSUP called on relevant government bodies—including the Federal Ministry of Education, the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), and the Budget Office—to act swiftly in addressing the issues raised to prevent unnecessary agitation and safeguard the credibility of future support initiatives for tertiary education workers.
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