…Negotiate your own, ASUU tells CONUA

By Adesina Wahab

How the N50 billion recently released by the Federal Government to pay part of the Earned Academic Allowance, EAA, owed academic staff in federal universities will be shared is already creating bad blood between the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU and the Congress of University Academics, CONUA.

CONUA, another academic staff union registered by the immediate past administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, is alleging being sidelined in the constitution of committees that will suggest the template/ computation for sharing the allowance in universities across the country.

CONUA, in a petition signed by the National President, Dr Niyi Sunmonu, alleged that his members were being sidelined.

“The Congress of University Academics (CONUA) is raising serious concerns about the misinterpretation and misapplication of the Earned Academic Allowance (EAA), which is being misapplied to reflect union affiliation rather than academic productivity.

“EAA is designed to reward work done, not to serve as a tool for preferential treatment based on union membership. This current attitude reflecting in various releases by different unions on campus and probably in collusion with the university administrators, not only violates the original intent of the EAA but also threatens harmony and fairness across Nigerian university campuses.

“The EAA must reflect the contributions of all academics, regardless of their union affiliation. Any deviation from this principle undermines equity and the very essence of academic excellence. We urge the Federal Government to take immediate corrective action to realign the EAA with its true purpose.

“CONUA calls on the Federal Ministry of Education to: Review and clarify the criteria for EAA disbursement to ensure it is strictly merit-based. Investigate and rectify any instances of bias or exclusion. Uphold fairness and transparency to maintain trust and unity within the academic community.

“As a union committed to dialogue, equity, and progress, CONUA remains open to collaborating with the government and all stakeholders to ensure that policies like the EAA achieve their intended objectives.”

As part of the effort of CONUA to be part of the process, its branch in Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, fired a protest letter to the University Bursar, expressing their displeasure.

The letter was endorsed by the Branch Chairman, Prof. C. E Nwadighaha and Secretary, Dr Uroko Robert.

However, in his reaction, the National President of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, said CONUA should not drag ASUU into a matter that does not concern it.

“They said they are a union, let them go and negotiate for their members. Why should they want to reap where they did not sow? We have nothing to do with them. The money was not handed to ASUU and we are not the ones disbursing same,” he said.