ASUU has been on strike for close to eight months as it demands the implementation of a 2009 agreement it reached with the government to improve university education.
Dr Niyi Sunmonu, Chairman of the newly registered Congress of Nigerian University Academics (CONUA), a faction of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has said the previous agreements between the Nigerian Government and striking university lecturers were done under duress.
ASUU has been on strike for close to eight months as it demands the implementation of a 2009 agreement it reached with the government to improve university education.
The Chairman said this during an interview session on Wednesday with Arise TV, claiming that the registration of their union is targeted to end the monopoly of ASUU as the only Trade Union for academics in the country.
He said, “Well, as we earlier said, we have actually known the history of industrial actions in the university, pending on whom you actually ask. If you state from around 1973,1974, some said it actually started in 1981.
“What is common to both is that the uses of strike actions to press home demand in this country have been well for over 40 years, and we have added in that period of 40 years, we have had different kinds of government. Military dictator, the democracy we currently enjoy and you have one response and that response is to put pen to paper for agreement, and then renege later.
“So, we have the opinion that these agreements were done under duress. When you have a situation in which the other party which is the government to discuss with, come to a meeting with a relaxed mind, and with the fact that once they have an agreement which is workable when they put pen to paper to sign it, they will honour that.”
When asked in what way will his union deal with issues affecting the university system, which will be different from what ASUU is doing, he said, “Our perspective is with respect to the fact that even in situations where you have outright wars, issues are resolved at the table. So why we can't devote more time to that so as to avoid casualties? In this case, the casualties are the parents and students.
“So, we want to deploy all our faculties, all our network, to the area of discussion at the table that will lead to a win-win situation. Discussion that will lead to an agreement that the other side will not feel he is being compelled,” he added.
The Nigerian Government on Tuesday registered two academic unions, the National Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA) and CONUA.
This comes as the government and the main umbrella body of university lecturers, ASUU have been at loggerheads regarding a 2009 FG/ASUU Agreement on the funding of university education, which the government has failed to fully implement.