The Congress of Nigerian University Academics (CONUA), a breakaway faction of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has been officially registered as a trade union.
Also registered is the National Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA).
The Minister of Labour and Productivity, Dr Chris Ngige, presented a certificate of registration to the new unions on Tuesday.
CONUA was established in 2018 at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, following a leadership crisis within the university’s chapter of ASUU. It is led by a lecturer of the university, Niyi Sunmonu.
Ngige explained that the two bodies will exist alongside ASUU.
He further stated that the two associations will enjoy the rights and privileges accorded to other academic unions in the tertiary education system.
This development is coming days after the minister accused the president of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, of deliberately frustrating the government’s efforts at resolving the ongoing seven-month-old strike and mobilising Nigerians against the government.
While the reason for the registration of the unions is not clear, speculations are that it is a move by the federal government to checkmate ASUU and its incessant strikes that has grounded public universities.
