Giwa Yisa Temitope, national public relations officer of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has reacted to the registration of CONUA by the Buhari-led federal government.
In a statement on Tuesday, Giwa said registration of the Congress of Nigerian Universities Academics (CONUA) is absolutely unnecessary rather the action is just to create more confusion and crisis in the Nigerian public university system.
NANS said the registration of another union among lecturers particularly now by the Federal Government is a demonstration of failure of the current administration.
The association said the “Divide and Rule Policy” just like the colonialists had done to Nigerian people back then will not in any way do Nigeria any good.
The students said the action would rather draw Nigeria and its university education as well as economy further backward.
They said even though not all lecturers in the university are members of ASUU, CONUA members are not up to 30 per cent of their entire population nationwide and therefore what would such a percentage do in the midst of the majority?
“That is why to us as NANS, we see the development as a very bad omen and it is unfortunate that the political class in the country is continued to cause collision among the people for their selfish interest,”.
The students said if the system were to be a bit okay, particularly with infrastructural facilities in the academic arena, hostels and laboratories, among others, ASUU would not have genuine course to embark on strike let alone dragged for this long.
“So, anybody who is in support of Federal Government registering CONUA, particularly at this time when is yet to resolved issues with ASUU whose members are in the majority is not being sincere about Nigeria moving forward.
The WITNESS reports that Ngige presented certificates of registration to CONUA and the National Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA) in Abuja.
The minister said the two trade unions would exist side-by-side with ASUU.
CONUA is led by its National Coordinator, ‘Niyi Sunmonu, a lecturer at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.
The presentation of the certificate came amidst the lingering strike by ASUU which had led to a closure of federal and state universities in the country.