As CONUA Sides With FG Over IPPIS, ASUU May Lose Out

It is an annual ritual for the last generation of Nigerians who have attended a tertiary institution in this nation. The memory of academic normalcy is only resident in the minds of old men and women, these select few who received meal tickets with chunk of chicken as part of their launch, had beds to themselves in a serene hostel accommodation. My generation views this as fables, tales by moonlight which the elderly use to entertain us.

For the umpteenth time, the academic lecturers have embarked on a strike action. This time around the FG has a willing tool – alternative union called Congress of University Academics (CONUA). This new group is set for a collision course with the main body Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU)

The Congress of University Academics CONUA is viewed by many as an attempt by government to break the rank of the lecturers solidarity especially in the view of the getting all academic staff to be signed on the IPPIS. The finance minister had stated that about 70% of lecturers had signed on to the system and those not yet signed will not be paid. Hence, most of the lecturers got salaries which did not reflect what they were used to earning according to ASUU. 

CONUA made known its position on the matter in a statement where it declared that

“ASUU’s strike will aggravate the country’s problems and deepen national anxiety. Consequently, CONUA strongly dissociates itself from the decision of the ASUU to embark on a nationwide strike in these national and global trying times.

“CONUA wishes to restate for the umpteenth time that we are not members of ASUU, ASUU’s claim of speaking for all members of academics in Nigerian universities is totally incorrect.

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“CONUA therefore dissociates itself from activities of ASUU, particularly the current declaration of a nationwide strike in this critical period of national and global emergency.”

It remains to be seen how the new union which was formed after a meeting of aggrieved lecturers who do not support the mainstream body’s approach to the issue with IPPIS. Mr Niyi Sumonu the national coordinator of CONUA says its main objective is to restore stability in Nigerian universities. Members of CONUA are drawn from Members of the new union are OAU, Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma; Federal University, Oye Ekiti (FUOYE); Federal University, Lokoja (FUL) and Kwara State University (KWASU), Molete.

The splinter group has given the Minister for Labour Chris Ngige and his team a bargaining chip. The strike action will be no work no pay. The longer it persist the higher the urge of the academics who have signed on to IPPIS will be tempted to switch allegiance to CONUA. Hence, ASUU membership and loyal base will inevitably be depleted. It is a strike action that will test the solidarity of all academics. Unfortunately, with the Covid-19 viruses shutting down global economy at the moment meeting the immediate depends has taken the back burner. It is inconceivable that both parties will converge to discuss the matter any time soon because of the attendant risks of flouting social distancing.

In this game of wits, it is indeed advantage FG. The most critical matter to be resolved is getting past the Covid-19 virus illnesses, it looks very unlikely that the government negotiating team will consider ASUU proposal to adopt UTAS (University Transparency Academic Solution) being proposed as an alternative to IPPIS. 

Source: Thenationonline.ng