There are indications that the Federal Government may break the ranks of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) by approving a new union.
The move is not unconnected to the 10 Months old strike embarked by varsity lecturers clamouring for the revitalisation of public universities, adoption of their preferred payroll system UTAS among other demands.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, gave the indications a boost while receiving the leadership of the Congress of University Academics CONUA, led by its National Coordinator, Dr. Niyi Sunmonu.
Delivering his welcome address to members of CONUA, Senator Ngige expressed displeasure that the long strike embarked by ASUU had negatively affected the educational development of the country.
He went on to commend his guests for initiating the process to register CONUA, noting that the journey to have the union registered has just begun.
He said: “We are receiving you in audience formally today in this ministry.
“We have the right to receive associations of persons that are workers, whether we have registered them or not, just as you have the right to apply for registration, which is the lawful thing to do.
“We have the right to receive and hold meetings with you.
“The journey to have you registered has just started.
“You have done the right thing by applying and this Ministry has also done the right thing by processing your registration.
“The review of your application for registration is ongoing.
“I have put up a committee to look into that review.
“I will ask the committee to wind up its work.
“We are giving them four weeks from today to turn in their report to the ministry.
“Part of our job here is to register unions.
“It is also part of our job to make sure that unions that are not functional are helped.”
Speaking earlier, the National Coordinator of CONUA, Dr. Niyi Sunmonu said the new union was enjoying large followership with many universities registering more members by the day since it came on board in February 2018.
Sunmonu who noted that CONUA was established due to irreconcilable differences between its members and ASUU, condemned the prolonged strike in the university system and urged unions to choose to engage the government constructively rather than down tools every time, considering the negative impacts of such moves on the educational system.
He said: “CONUA members are not members of ASUU and we are not ready to be part of ASUU due to irreconcilable differences and modes of operation.
“ASUU no longer represents our interest and aspirations.
“CONUA fits to be described as a group of people who are independent academics and who have decided to come together to form a union committed to the advancement of education in Nigeria.”
The coordinator went on to promise that the union will constructively engage the government if it is fully registered.
He said: “The government cannot see what we see and we will not see what the government sees, but when we have our mind made up in a constructive manner, we will come to a reasonable agreement to further progress our universities and for the advancement of the nation.
“We want to ensure a seamless and uninterrupted academic calendar in the university system.
“This strike has done more damage than good.
“As academics and researchers, we are supposed to have evaluated the effect of the strike on our institutions, especially on our collective psychic.
“From the preliminary report that we have, the strike has done more harm than good to our universities.
“Nigerian Universities should rank comfortably with any other university in any part of the world.”
Speaking on the issue of Integrated Payroll Personnel Information System IPPIS, Sunmonu said CONUA members were keen on registering in spite of series of threats.
He therefore appealed to the Minister to provide a conducive environment for its members to undergo the registration process without any encumbrances.
