FG Moves Against ASUU: Registers Factional Union, CONUA

BY TEMI OHAKWE, ABUJA – The Federal Government on Tuesday approved the registration of a breakaway faction of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), by granting the Congress of Nigerian University Academics (CONUA) recognition and certificate of registration.

In the same vein, the government approved the registration of the Nigerian Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA) as a trade union.

Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, who announce this on Tuesday in Abuja, said the two unions would operate along with ASUU.

Ngige said; “Line with the NICN, an Interlocutory Injunction Order was obtained asking the Union to get back to work while the substantive suit is being heard; an order ASUU leadership and members refused to obey.

“Interestingly, a lot of university teachers in the public universities had indicated their willingness to get back to work while negotiations continue,” he said.

The Minister disclosed that CONUA applied for registration since 2018 following irreconcilable, adding that Congress of Nigerian University Academics cited differences and their non-agreement with ASUU as recurring strikes remains the solution to every welfare agitation.

According to Ngige; “They also accused the ASUU executive of non-rendition of account of incomes and expenditure for years. The Ministry of Labour and Employment set up a committee to look into the merit of their application.

“The committee saw merit in the application and recommended approval for the registration of the Association by the Registrar of Trade Unions (RTU) since 2020. But for the advent of COVID-19 pandemic and the recurring ASUU Strike, this would have been done”.

Speaking on the registration of the Nigerian Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA) as a trade union, Ngige said that Medical Doctors who are teachers in the various Medical Schools/College of Medicine had carried on with teaching in the Universities of Maiduguri, Bauchi, and Sokoto and had graduated their new Doctors in the midst of the ASUU strike.

He said; “These groups of Lecturers had since been applying to have their own Academic Associations registered as trade Unions to organise their members because they do not share in the models, objectives, modus operandi, mission and vision of ASUU.

“They cite that under Section 40 of the Constitution they have a right to Freedom of Association with people sharing same academic vision and mission like minds”.

The Minister however said the two Associations will exist side by side with ASUU.

“These Associations will exist side by side with ASUU in the Nigerian Universities in the spirit and tenets of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Core Convention nos. 87 & 98 which are respectively on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise, and the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining; as well as the enthronement”.

Ngige added that the two newly registered Associations are to have members in the Nigerian University Pension Management Company Limited (NUPEMCO) and being on CONUAS Salary Structure/Scheme, they are equally entitled to Earned Academic Allowances (EAA) and all other allowances attached thereto.

Responding, the National Coordinator of the Congress of University Academics, said the registration of the CONUA, as a Trade Union in the Nigerian university system, is monumentally historic.

“The hurdles we have faced to get here, since 2018 when we submitted our application for registration, have been seemingly insurmountable”.