TheCable

The Congress of University Academics (CONUA) has called on the federal government to ensure an uninterrupted academic calendar in varsities in the country.

CONUA is a breakaway faction of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

The union stated this in a communique issued after its maiden national executive council (NEC) congress held at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife.

CONUA also called on the government to address the issue of “accreditation fraud” in universities.

“Education is central to the development of any nation, Nigeria inclusive. CONUA is of the strong opinion that education can be made ‘cheap’ by ensuring an uninterrupted academic calendar in the Nigerian Ivory towers,” it said.

“CONUA urges the government to ‘ensure reasonable utilization of university autonomy’ and it must, as a matter of urgency, contain seemingly unseen corruption and fix ‘accreditation fraud’ in the universities”.

During the congress, the union also elected its executives.

Niyi Sunmonu was elected the national president of the union while Abdulhameed Salawu was elected as vice-president.

Others include Henri Oripeloye (national secretary), Issa Abdulraheem (assistant national secretary), Ernest Nwoke (publicity secretary), Monica Orisadare (treasurer), Mukhtar Ibrahim (financial officer), Bassey Abasiene (welfare officer), Chinedum Nwadighoha (investment officer), and Ayodeji Ige (legal adviser).

The communique added that “the meeting discussed the constitution of the union and adopted it having satisfied the purpose of the union, for now.”

Chris Ngige, the minister of labour and employment, was represented at the event by Clement Fatoki.

CONUA was officially registered in October 2022. Its registration came amid the eight-month strike embarked upon by ASUU.

On Tuesday, the federal government finalised the registration process of the union.