Two New Parallel Bodies Emerge As Federal Government Breaks ASUU

By Ayodele Oni

In its desperate bid to ensure that academic activities resume in Universities, the Federal Government has, finally, split the Academic Staff Union of Universities, (ASUU). It has created two new bodies.

The two new unions, Congress of Nigeria University Academics (CONUA), has lecturers in Universities, both public and private, as members, while the Nigeria Association of Medical and Dental Lecturers in Academics (NAMDA) gets its membership from Teaching Hospitals.

Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, presented certificates of registration to the two Unions in Abuja on Tuesday.

While defending the decision of the Federal Government, Ngige explained that it was to ensure harmonious industrial relations system in the  country.

“The Ministry has decided to approve the registration of two more Trade Unions in the Nigerian University Academic Sub Sector.

“The University Sub-Sector is a major development plank of any Nation’s Socio Economic growth. Knowledge they say is Power.

“In the last eight months, the classrooms in the nation’s Public Universities have been shut and students kept at home by the strike action embarked upon by the Academic staff Union of Nigeria Universities (ASUU).

“This ugly situation has persisted despite series of engagements to resolve the trade dispute by the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Education.

“In line with the provisions of the Trade Disputes Act, CAP. TS, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, this Strike was apprehended & Conciliations were done in this Ministry on February 22, 2022, and March 1, 2022.

“However, all efforts at conciliation failed resulting in the transmission of the trade dispute to the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) for adjudication in line with the statutory trade dispute resolution processes.

“At 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 but were obstructed by ASUU officials, while the VCs looked on helplessly.

“Also it is worthy to note that some 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.

“These groups of Lecturers had since been applying to have their own Academic Associations registered as trade Unions to organize 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.