The Congress of University Academics (CONUA) has raised the alarm over alleged plans by the leadership of various universities to exclude its members from benefiting from the sharing of the approved Earned Academic Allowances (EAA).
The group specifically cautioned Vice-Chancellors against seeing the money as a union-privileged affair, reminding them that the fund was not meant for only members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
The National President of CONUA, Dr Niyi Sunmonu, who raised the alarm in a statement made available to journalists, said the federal government released the N50 billion to settle all university workers and not members of one particular union or the other.
He argued that academic staff, just like every other university worker, are entitled to EAA on the basis of work done and not union affiliation in the system.
Sunmonu wondered why some university administrators would allegedly agree with other unions, especially ASUU, to sideline CONUA members from benefiting from the N50 billion released for EAA. He accused some institutions of sidelining his members by deliberately excluding them from filling out a form sent to other union members to effect payment.
He cited Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, where the immediate past ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, lectures and Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi State, as examples.
Sunmonu also alleged that ASUU national leadership had warned members not to submit any form concerning their EAA computation and disbursement directly to the management, but instead, submit such to the special committee set up by ASUU for the purpose. with a stern warning to sanction anyone found wanting.
“We have protested the action officially by writing to vice-chancellors and bursars at our various chapters, but they have chosen to ignore us or deliberately delay attending to our concerns.
“We find these actions not only in violation of natural justice and the spirit of inclusive unionism, but also in contempt of the precedent set by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) concerning a similar incident in the past.”
He noted that in the suit, the court decisively ruled in favour of a university lecturer, who was excluded from EAA disbursement on the grounds of non-membership of ASUU, affirming that such exclusion is unjust, discriminatory, and legally baseless.
“The court held that membership of ASUU is not a valid precondition for receiving EAA, which is an entitlement and not a union benefit. This judgment perfectly aligns with CONUA’s consistent position that no academic staff should be denied EAA simply for belonging to a different union or for choosing not to belong to any at all.” Sunmonu wondered why CONUA, a registered union, was sidelined in matters concerning the university system.
“We, therefore, demand immediate and transparent inclusion of all academic staff in the EAA disbursement process, irrespective of union affiliation and also call for an end to discriminatory practices that deny CONUA members their earned entitlements.”
He reassured them of their commitment to constructive engagement and lawful advocacy, adding that CONUA will continue to explore all legitimate avenues to protect the rights of members across campuses.
