Universities face crisis as FG pays CONUA withheld salaries, dues.

Immediately, the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, expressed their displeasure with the FG’s action and characterised it as a prescription for disaster and anarchy in the public university system.

Vanguard observed on Sunday night a letter from the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, Department of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System, with the reference number OAGF/IPPIS/1045/1/67, dated January 13, 2023, and signed by Charles Wall, Director, IPPIS and addressed to the President, CONUA.

With the title: “Re-Submission of University Academics (CONUA) membership list for the payment of withheld salary and check-off dues”, CONUA was asked to submit all the essential information that would permit payment of the withheld salaries.

The letter stated, “I am directed to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 2 November 2022 regarding payment of your withheld backlog of salaries and request that you send a soft copy of your membership in CONUA across universities in order to facilitate payment as requested.

“In the interim, you may wish to forward the following information to facilitate the deduction and payment of check-off fees.

“Evidence of registration, official account details of the union, a signed membership list of the union, the percentage of deduction (check-off dues) amount to be deducted from each member, and the manner of remittance between the headquarters and local chapters.

“Please note that hard and soft copies of member information must always include individual IPPIS numbers for identification purposes. While we appreciate your understanding, please accept the assurances of the Accountant General of the Federation’s kind regards.”

Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, the national president of ASUU, reacted to the news by questioning why the government is interested in sowing discord.

According to him, the FG was merely attempting to create something out of nothing.

“The question is, according to the statute, was CONUA in existence from March to September 2022? The union did not exist at the time, so how can the government retroactively recognise it? Which check-off dues will they pay for a time when they did not exist and were not recognised by law?

Also, what did they do from March until the institutions reopened in October? “We are monitoring and analysing the situation and will respond accordingly,” he said.

Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim, national president of SSANU, expressed dismay that the government has implemented a divide-and-conquer strategy in the university system.

He stated that SSANU complied with all labour legislation requirements prior to launching the strike, adding that his union was compelled to do so owing to the failure of the government.

A member of CONUA’s national leadership who wished to remain anonymous stated that only Dr. Niyi Sunmonu, the National Coordinator, could comment on the situation.

Attempts to speak with Sunmonu were useless, and he also did not answer his phone calls.

Recall that four university-based unions, SSANU, ASUU, NASU, and NAAT, shut down public universities due to the government’s inability to meet their demands last year.

ASUU withdrew its services precisely on February 14, 2022, and was followed many weeks later by NAAT, SSANU, and NASU.

While SSANU and NASU called off their strike in August after reaching an agreement with the Federal Government, ASUU stayed steadfast until the National Industrial Court intervened in October and ordered the striking academics to return to their job postings.

(Source: centurypost.com.ng/)