FUTA SSANU demonstrates over withheld National Housing Fund deductions, seeks reimbursement for pensioners

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By Dayo Johnson

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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.

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

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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.”

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

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

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

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“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.

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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.

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

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

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

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

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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.

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

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

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“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.

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

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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

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