Some Akwa Ibom-based academics say President Bola Tinubu has taken deliberate steps towards improving the welfare of university academic staff in the country.
This is contained in a survey by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Uyo on Wednesday as the nation prepares to celebrate her 66th Independence Anniversary.
Ettah Essien, a Professor of Economics, University of Uyo, said that the president had shown rare interest towards improving the living standards of tertiary education workers.
Essien said that the recent review of academic staff salary had immensely supported many families.
“The little increase has helped. Although it is still low when compared to what directors in some government institutions are earning,” he said.
The economic expert also identified fuel subsidy removal and introduction of Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), as some of the initiatives that demonstrated the president’s good intentions for Nigerians.
“I will believe that he meant well, it is only worrisome that the ordinary people do not get the benefits that arise from the removal of petrol subsidy.
“The monies are sent to states and local government councils to support the people, but the ordinary do not benefit from that good intention of the president,” he said.
Essien accused ‘middlemen in governance’ of creating problems and frustrating the implementation of the president’s people-oriented policies.
Ettah advised the President to surround himself with aides who were ready to interpret his good intentions to the benefits of Nigerians.
Also speaking, Prof. Aniekan Brown, the Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Uyo commended the president for the introduction of NELFUND.
Brown said that the scheme had helped many undergraduate students to pay their fees and take care of their welfare.
He said that some of his students had given testimonies of how the programme had supported them.
“Many students are appreciative of NELFUND and the impact it has had on their academic journey,” he said.
Brown said that Tinubu’s policies had stabilised tertiary education in the country, saying, “I think that he has found a way to manage the tertiary education”
The academic urged Nigerians to constitute themselves into positive watchdogs, and to make meaningful inputs to governance.
The dean further stated that the president was capable of doing more in terms of security, infrastructure and the living standards of Nigerians.
Also speaking, Emen Ibanga, the Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, in Akwa Ibom, said that the Federal Government had spent N7.59 billion on the Conditional Cash Transfer Programme to beneficiaries in direct financial support between 2024 and 2026 across the state.
Ibanga disclosed that 18,000 vulnerable households benefited in 2024; 26,864 benefited in 2025, and 56,402 benefited in 2026.
“A total of 101,265 households have so far received N75,000 each, across the 31 local government areas of the state,” she said.
She said that the support had put food on the tables of many families.(NAN)
