By Our Correspondent
The Congress of University Academics (CONUA) has expressed deep concern over its exclusion from the renegotiation process of the 2009 Agreement involving academic staff in Nigerian universities.
In a statement released on Sunday, the union described the development as both “surprising and disappointing,” particularly after receiving a formal invitation from the Federal Ministry of Education in December 2024 to participate in the process.
According to CONUA, despite the directive by the Minister of Education to the renegotiation committee chaired by Yayale Ahmed, the union has not been invited to make any submissions.
“The union wonders how it was possible for a committee to jettison the mandate of a Minister who put the Committee in place in this important national assignment,” the statement read.
CONUA emphasized that the 2009 Agreement was signed on behalf of all academic staff in Nigerian universities and therefore affects all existing academic unions.
It noted that with the presence of three officially recognized academic staff unions in the country, any renegotiation must be inclusive to reflect the interests of all parties involved.
The union argued that its exclusion violates principles of fairness and democratic engagement as enshrined in the International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions ratified by Nigeria.
“This renegotiation is about shaping the future of academic labour relations and institutional stability in Nigeria’s higher education system,” said the union. “It is inappropriate and untenable for one union to represent the interests of others in a plural union environment.”
The statement also warned that continued exclusion could jeopardize the current academic stability enjoyed by public universities, which CONUA credited in part to its commitment to non-disruptive unionism.
It called on the Minister of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa, to intervene urgently and ensure that all registered academic unions are carried along in the renegotiation and future policy decisions.
“CONUA remains committed to constructive engagement, academic excellence, and sustainable reform in the Nigerian university system,” the statement concluded.
