The Congress of Nigerian Universities Academic, request the Nigerian Government to Pay it’s members.

The Congress of Nigerian Universities Academics (CONUA) has appealed to the Nigerian government to pay its members’ eight months’ salaries withheld during the industrial action called by its counterpart- the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), which grounded activities in Nigerian public universities.

According to a statement by the spokesperson for the education ministry, Ben Goong, CONUA’s National Coordinator, ‘Niyi Sunmonu, made the appeal during a courtesy visit to the Minister of State for Education, Yusuf Sununu.

The statement said Mr Sunmonu also appealed to the government to look into ways of improving the condition of service of academic and non-academic staff of universities, which he said has deteriorated due to the fuel subsidy removal.

“The union reasoned that there was a need to revisit the issue of the eight-month salary arrears that arose from the last strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), arguing that members of the Congress of University Academics did not go on strike,” the statement stated.

Mr Goong noted, however, that all academic activities were grounded during the period of the strike.

Meanwhile, Mr. Sununu appealed to the Students, Parents and lecturers to maintain peace and shun acts capable of disrupting the academic calendar on their various campuses.

He noted that his Ministry is having constructive dialogue and consultations with Stakeholders over the welfare of students, and Staff as well as the provision of Infrastructure in tertiary institutions.

Also note that the in 2022, the Nigerian Government invoked the no work no policy during the February to October Industrial action embarked upon by the Staff Unions in Nigeria Public Universities.

The Strike by ASUU and Non- teaching Staff Unions including the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities ( SSANU) and the Non Academic and other Allied Institutions (NASU) grounded activities Ivory towers.

Through out the Industrial action, CONUA- a new lecturer Union insisted that it was not a party to strike seven months into the strike the government recognised CONUA as a Labour Union.

The Union said it started its process of registration four years before in 2019.