The Chairman of the University of Lagos Chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Dr. Dele Ashiru has lampooned the newly approved Congress of Nigerian University Academics (CONUA), describing it as an illegal organization.
Ashiru during a TV interview on Friday however described ASUU as an idea nobody can kill.
The ASUU official slammed CONUA as made up of a group of disgruntled persons attempting to appear like a trade union. He said the members of CONUA have only made themselves willing tools in the hands of oppressors.
OsunDaily News reports he made his mind known during the Sunrise daily programme of Channels Television.
“Well you see my reaction to that ASUU is an idea and nobody kills an idea so if you have a bunch of disgruntled, dissatisfied individuals who want to yield themselves as tools in the hands of oppressors you know masquerading as trade unions in the Universities, yeah we wish them luck,” he said.
ASUU Remains Unshaken
The lecturer added that ASUU remains unmoved by the decision of the federal government to register CONUA. He said the new factional body has no members.
“So ASUU can’t be jittery, go into the university and ask those who are members of this illegal society to raise up their hands,” he said.
Ngige Operated Outside His Powers
Speaking further, Ashiru said neither the Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige nor the Federal Government has the right to certify trade unions.
To this end, he said CONUA as well as the National Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA) remain illegal entities.
He said; “Is it the minister of labour that gives a certificate to trade unions? It is not a minister. The registrar of trade unions should publish the certificate they got. What you are seeing happens only in a country like Nigeria.
“is it a minister that will call a press conference and be displaying a letter and be saying they registered another union? Is it a government that recognizes a trade union? a trade union is situated in its followership.”
Reveal Your Members
He also challenged the leadership of CONUA to verify the claim that it has members in seventeen universities, saying it is an absolute lie.
“CONUA has been around since 2017, they have been gallivanting about telling lies to themselves and some of their cronies, one of the lies is that they are in 17 universities, I am a university teacher, where are they in the 17 universities?” Ashiru queried.
This article was originally published on OsunDaily News
