The Minister of Labour and Productivity, Dr Chris Ngige has confirmed the submission of application from CONUA to be registered as a new union in the university and said, it has been received by the ministry in April.
The labour minister informed newsmen that “according to Trade Union laws, the application was awaiting deliberation as stipulated in the laws“.
He said: Before the approval of the application, a committee will be set up to define modalities.
“They have not been registered yet. Their application is in the ministry. It has not been treated.
“We are still looking at their application. I asked a committee to look into it, when we look at the committee’s report, we will know what to do.
“They submitted it even before I left office initially, they submitted the application in April,” he said.
There were speculations that CONUA may like duplicate the functions of ASUU but Ngige while reacting to question whether they would duplicate or not said, the committee set up on the matter would reveal.
The National Coordinator of CONUA, Mr Niyi Ismaheel, said on Sunday in Abuja that CONUA had a sole purpose of redefining unionism and restore peace and stability in the universities in Nigeria.
According to NAN reports, “Ismaheel, while addressing journalists at the end of its first National Stakeholders’ Forum at the Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU Ile-Ife, said the union was formed with the goal to formulate a new approach of engagement in addressing the welfare of its members.
According to him, the union will help put to an end unnecessary delays in the academic calendar of Nigerian students, following frequent strike actions.
“The Union, which started in OAU now has Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Federal University, Oye Ekiti, Federal University, Lokoja and Kwara State University, Molete as members.
“The union is putting necessary documentation in place for official recognition by the university management and the government,” he said.
As at the time of filing this report, ASUU President, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi had not responded to calls placed to his phones.