The National Coordinator, Congress of University Academics (CONUA), Niyi Sunmonu, says the union will work towards ensuring that academic activities are no longer disrupted in universities in the country.
The union made the pledge in a statement in Osogbo, Osun State shortly after it was presented with a certificate of registration by the Federal Government.
Recall that the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, presented the certificate to CONUA leadership on Tuesday in Abuja.
CONUA, in the statement, said the unio will that the nation is no longer traumatized by academic union dislocations.
Sunmomu, who claimed that they had been struggling for recognition since 2018, said, “it asserts the value of courage, initiative, focus, tenacity, patience, forbearance and persistent positive thinking.
“We are immensely grateful to the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, and his team of diligent staff for insisting on merit, due process and thoroughness all through the processing of our application for the registration of CONUA.
“The very strict and dispassionate review of our application brought out the best in the membership of the Union.
“We regard the registration of CONUA as a sacred trust and pledge to reciprocate by devoting ourselves unceasingly to the advancement of university education in this country.
“We would make the details of our programmes available to the public in due course.
“For now, we are giving the assurance that we would work to ensure that the nation is not traumatized again by academic union dislocations in the country’s public universities.
Meanwhile, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has the Federal Government’s attempt to break ranks university lecturers by the recognition of the Congress of University Academics (CONUA) is an exercise in futility.
It described the move as inconsequential and shadow chasing.
The President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, in his reaction said “it does not affect us…let them register as many unions as they like;that is inconsequential as far as we are concerned, we are not threatened in any way.”
Also, ASUU Lagos Zone Coordinator, Dr. Adelaja Odukoya, described the government’s action as: “Simply shadow chasing; leaving leprosy and wasting time on ringworm, nothing more, nothing else.”
Odukoya said that recognising CONUA would take nothing away
from ASUU, not even the fight for improved remuneration for university lecturers and infrastructure in public universities.
On the claimed by CONUA that its members cut-cross 17 universities, Odukoya said: “interesting, he who assert must proof. How many public universities do you have in Nigeria.”
On what would be the reaction of ASUU if the government starts to negotiate with CONUA to resolve ongoing strike, the ASUU Lagos coordinator queried: “Is government interested in negotiation or award?”
