. . . Urges return to negotiation table with ASUU

A civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), on Wednesday, slammed the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, over the registration of two factional academic unions, saying the divide-and-rule tactics against the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) was atrocious, counterproductive and mischievous.

HURIWA's National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, in a statement, urged ASUU, led by Prof Emmanuel Osodeke, to be resolute in pushing for its demands even as it prioritises the interest of millions of Nigerian students who have been at home for over seven months since ASUU embarked on industrial action on February 14, 2022.

With no progress in its talks with ASUU, the federal government on Tuesday registered two factional academic unions – Congress of Nigerian Universities Academics (CONUA) and the National Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA) in what many have described as efforts by the government to clip the wings of ASUU and force the lecturers of public universities to go back to the classrooms.

Ngige had, on Tuesday, said CONUA and NAMDA would exist alongside ASUU, adding that the two associations would enjoy the rights and privileges accorded to other academic unions in the tertiary education system.

The Minister also said more academic unions would be registered by the out-going administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Reactting, however, Onwubiko said: “The registration of CONUA and NAMDA by the Federal Government amid the ASUU strike is self-hurting and counter-productive. The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has just scored an own goal with the registration of the two factional unions which broke away from ASUU.

“The way forward is not to keep registering new unions as this will lead to chaos and confusion. Rather, the way forward is to return to the negotiation table with ASUU and meet the demands of lecturers of public varsities who are underpaid and their schools underfunded. This is the way to go.

“In fact, it is ridiculous that CONUA with its registration cannot go back to the lecture rooms but now appeals to ASUU to resolve its issues with the government so that schools can be reopened. What then is the essence of CONUA? Toothless; and politically motivated!

“Ngige and his cronies should stop playing politics with the lives and future of millions of Nigerian youths and students whilst their own children study abroad.”