The Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes, and Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRIAI) has called on the Federal Government to urgently implement the 65-year retirement age policy for all categories of staff in Colleges of Agriculture and related institutions across the country. This was among a series of pressing demands outlined in a communique issued after the association’s Sectoral Council Meeting held at the Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology in Jos, Plateau State.
Signed by the association’s chairman, Idris Shadrack, and secretary, Yusuf Dada, the communique stressed that the implementation of the retirement age policy is vital for equity, institutional stability, and the retention of experienced manpower within a sector critical to national food security and economic growth. The association argued that delaying such a policy not only undermines the morale of workers but also deprives colleges of seasoned professionals capable of driving agricultural education and research forward.
The association expressed deep concern over what it described as an unacceptable delay in the payment of multiple financial entitlements owed to staff in these institutions. Among the outstanding payments are the wage award allowance earlier approved by the Federal Government, arrears from the consequential adjustment of the national minimum wage, hazard allowance, peculiar allowance arrears denied to some colleges, and the long-standing 25% and 35% salary increments. According to the communique, these delays are eroding trust in government promises and worsening the economic well-being of staff.
Beyond welfare issues, SSAUTHRIAI also drew attention to the stalling of revised conditions and schemes of service for colleges of agriculture staff. The association said the prolonged delay in releasing and implementing these revised frameworks has continued to impede career progression and institutional governance, leaving staff demoralized and systems inefficient.
In a broader policy appeal, the association urged the government to reconsider its classification of Colleges of Agriculture as monotechnics. SSAUTHRIAI contended that these institutions offer diverse academic programmes and award both National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) certificates, and should therefore be placed on the same level as other polytechnic institutions in terms of funding, recognition, and governance.
Equally pressing, according to the communique, is the continued exclusion of Colleges of Agriculture and allied institutions from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) intervention scheme. SSAUTHRIAI argued that this exclusion runs contrary to the Federal Government’s own commitment to raising educational standards and leaves agricultural institutions at a major disadvantage compared to other tertiary institutions that benefit from TETFund support.
The association also raised alarms over a recurring trend it sees as detrimental to institutional growth—the appointment of external university professors and personnel to key leadership positions such as Provosts, Rectors, or Chief Executive Officers of the colleges. It noted that this practice demoralizes in-house professionals and stifles internal capacity development. The union urged the government to instead prioritize qualified candidates from within the college system who possess both the experience and institutional knowledge necessary to lead effectively.
SSAUTHRIAI concluded with a strong call for the Federal Government to give immediate and favourable consideration to these resolutions. It emphasized that doing so would not only preserve industrial peace but also ensure the effective governance and sustainable development of agricultural education and research in Nigeria—sectors that are vital for the country’s long-term growth and food security.