CONUA Kicks against Remittance of Members’ Dues to ASUU

By Yinka Kolawole

The Congress of University Academics (CONUA) has condemned the remittance of its members’ check off dues to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

In a release signed by the National Coordinator, Dr. Niyi Sunmonu, CONUA said several members from all its branches complained that union dues deducted from their salaries are being remitted to ASUU; a union they do not belong to.

Sunmonu said CONUA had written the Accountant General of the Federation to request for stoppage of the remittance of CONUA members’ check off dues to ASUU with the hope that the matter would be urgently investigated and addressed.

According to the group, the leadership of ASUU, through its president, unilaterally withdrew money running into millions of naira in 2017 from the account of the OAU branch.

This illegal act it said necessitated the request to stop check off dues deduction.

Sunmonu called on the Accountant General of the Federation to also ensure the refund of what had been deducted from CONUA members, adding that it is inappropriate and against the tenets of the law to deduct check off dues of CONUA members for a union they do not belong to.

“CONUA is an independent academic staff union in Nigerian universities. Hence, remitting CONUA members’ dues to another union is tantamount to an attempt to financially strangulate CONUA. It should also be emphasized that Nigerian workers have the right to either belong to an appropriate union of their choice or not to belong to any union; and that this right should always be respected and protected,” he said.