The Congress of University Academics (CONUA) has strongly condemned its exclusion from the ongoing renegotiation of the 2009 agreement between the Federal Government and university-based unions, describing the development as “surprising and disappointing.”
This was contained in a statement issued on Monday in Lagos by CONUA’s National President, Dr. Niyi Sunmonu.
According to Sunmonu, despite receiving a formal letter dated December 20, 2024, from the Minister of Education inviting the union to participate in the renegotiation process, CONUA has not been contacted or allowed to make any submission as of the time of the statement.
“The Congress of University Academics (CONUA) expresses deep concern and surprise at the recent circulation of a letter dated April 4, addressed to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), indicating that the committee, chaired by Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, has submitted its report on the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement,” the statement read.
“The union wonders how a committee could disregard the directive of the minister who constituted it, especially in a matter of national importance.”
Sunmonu emphasized that the 2009 agreement was originally entered into on behalf of all academic staff in Nigerian universities at the time. Given the emergence of three officially recognized academic unions, he said, it is imperative that all stakeholders be included in decisions affecting their welfare and working conditions.
“The exclusion of CONUA, a registered and legitimate union, from such a critical process undermines principles of fairness, inclusivity, and democratic engagement as outlined in ILO conventions ratified by the Federal Government,” he said.
He stressed that renegotiating the 2009 agreement is not only about revisiting past commitments but also about shaping the future of academic labour relations and institutional stability in Nigeria’s higher education sector.
“It is inappropriate and untenable for a single union to represent the interests of all academic staff in today’s plural union environment,” Sunmonu noted. “We therefore call on the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa, to urgently address this oversight.”
He warned that continued exclusion of CONUA could destabilize the relative peace currently enjoyed in the academic system and may trigger avoidable unrest among university staff.
“Any disruption could roll back the stable academic calendar of the past two years—a stability made possible in part by CONUA’s commitment to non-disruptive unionism,” he added.
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Sunmonu urged the Federal Government to act swiftly to ensure that all duly registered academic unions are recognized and involved in ongoing policy discussions regarding staff welfare and institutional reforms.
“CONUA remains committed to constructive engagement, academic excellence, and sustainable reform in the Nigerian university system,” he affirmed.
Recall that the Federal Government inaugurated a seven-member Renegotiation Committee on October 15, 2024, to address unresolved issues with university-based unions. Then Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, had tasked the committee with producing realistic and workable agreements to address the challenges facing Nigeria’s university system and enhance its role in national development.
