ASUU Strike: FG Set To Pay CONUA Salary Arrears

The federal government is set to pay the rival university lecturers’ union, the Congress of University Academics (CONUA), their withheld salaries due to the eight-month strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

It was gathered that the government through the office of the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) has requested details of the CONUA members to begin processing their payment.

Naija News recalls CONUA was recognized by the federal government in October 2022 during the lingering ASUU strike, sparking mixed reactions among the stakeholders.

The union in December 2022, threatened to drag the Federal Government to court over the withheld salaries of its members, as it maintained that its members were not part of the eight-month ASUU strike, which lasted from February to October 2022.

CONUA insisted that the ‘no work no pay’ policy adopted by the government against ASUU shouldn’t affect its own members.

As a development on the matter, a report monitored by our correspondent on Punch has it that a circular dated January 13, 2023, which was signed by the Director, Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, Charles Wali on behalf of the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) and addressed to the CONUA president, Dr Niyi Sunmonu requested details of the union members for their payments to be processed.

The circular read, “I am directed to acknowledge receipt of your letter on the above subject matter dated November 2, 2022 in respect of payment of your withheld backlog of salaries and to request you to provide soft copy of membership of CONUA across universities to enable payment as requested.

“Meanwhile, you may wish to forward the following details to facilitate seamless deduction and remittance of check-off dues: Evidence of registration; official account details of the union; membership list of the union, signed by each member; percentage of deduction (check-off dues)/amount to be deducted from each member; mode of remittance between the headquarters and local chapters.”

The requested details are to be in hard and soft copies. The letter also requested individual IPPIS numbers of the CONUA members for identification purposes.