FUTA SSANU protests non-remittance of NHF contributions, demands refunds for retirees

By Dayo Johnson

Members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) branch, have staged a protest in Akure over alleged non-remittance and delayed refunds of their National Housing Fund (NHF) contributions.

The protesters, led by branch chairman Comrade Felix Adumbi, converged on the Federal Mortgage Bank in Akure.

They carried placards with inscriptions such as “Our contribution, our right, our future,” “NHF contribution is our right, not a privilege,” and “Stop the scam in FMB Akure.”

Adumbi said members contribute 2.5 percent of their salaries to the scheme, but many, especially retirees, have been unable to access their funds.

He noted that “the NHF Act stipulates that retirees not indebted to the fund should receive refunds within three months of retirement.

“Yet, some members who retired as far back as 2020 are still unpaid.

“For over six years, our members have been retiring without receiving their contributions. It is painful that some have even died while waiting,” Adumbi said.

He called on the Federal Government to investigate the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) under the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation over alleged failure to remit deductions made between 2020 and 2024.

According to him, the Federal Mortgage Bank claimed it did not receive funds deducted during the IPPIS period.

He urged the government to identify those responsible and ensure immediate release of the money.

The union warned that the protest marks the beginning of its agitation and vowed to escalate nationwide if urgent action is not taken.

“We are speaking out now because we will also retire one day. If we fail to challenge this, the injustice will continue,” Adumbi added.

Responding, Ondo State Branch Manager of the Federal Mortgage Bank, Surajudeen Mohamed Jimoh, denied any wrongdoing. He said all funds received by the bank are intact.

Jimoh attributed the problem to unremitted deductions during the IPPIS period and advised the union to engage the IPPIS office to recover the funds.

On housing access, he said the bank has several estates in Akure and allocations are made only to applicants.

“If anyone claims they don’t have access, it means they did not apply. We have several estates, and those who applied have been allocated houses,” Jimoh said.

He assured that the concerns would be escalated to appropriate authorities, noting that refund decisions are handled at higher policy levels.

SSANU FUTA branch, however, insisted it would mobilise its national body and other stakeholders to press for justice, warning that failure to resolve the issue could trigger a nationwide protest. End