Some university lecturers have broken away from the Academic Staff Union of Universities to form a new group, Congress of University Academics (CONUA).
National Coordinator of the new union, Niyi Ismaheel, said that the lecturers decided to form the new group to redefine unionism and restore peace and stability in universities.
He spoke to reporters at its first national stakeholder forum at the Obafemi Awolowo University- Ile Ife (OAU).
A copy of his address was obtained by our reporter in Abuja.
Ismaheel said that the new union would form a new approach of engagement in addressing the welfare of its members and to put to an end “the unnecessary wasting of student’s academic time as a result of frequent strike action.”
He claimed that the new union already has members in Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Federal University, Oye Ekiti, Federal University, Lokoja and Kwara state university, Molete.
“The union is putting necessary documentation in place for official recognition by the university management and the government,” he added.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, confirmed that the union has applied to be registered by the ministry.The minister said that he received their application in April this year.
Ngige said that a committee has been set up to look at their application.
“They have not been registered yet. Their application is in the ministry. They submitted it even before I left. They submitted the application in April. It has not been treated.
“We are still looking at their application. I asked a committee to look at it. When we look at the committee report we will know,” the minister said.
ASUU President, Dr. Biodun Ogunyemi did not respond to a text message sent to him.
He neither picked nor returned calls placed to his mobile numbers as at the time of filing this report.
credit: the nation online
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