Members of the Congress of University Academics, Nnamdi Azikiwe University chapter, have petitioned the acting Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Carol Arinze-Umobi, demanding the inclusion of all its members in the payment of the “Earned Academic Allowance” paid by the Federal Government.

The group in a letter, by its counsel, Prof. Okechukwu Nwankwo, dated June, 23, 2025 sent to the Acting VC and copied to the Bursar of the University, warned that the leadership of CONUA-UNIZIK will not spare any legal redress to ensure that they are not discriminated against, in the payment of the EAA to the academics of the University.

The petition, instituted for and on behalf of the Chairman of CONUA, UNIZIK Chapter, Prof. ChigozieEzeonyejiaku and its Secretary, Prof. Isaac Nwankwo, a copy made available to South-East Punch, revealed that the Federal Government had disbursed Earned Academic Allowances to the Nigerian Federal Universities of which UNIZIK got it’s own allocations.

South-East Punch gathered that the “earned academic allowance” refers to a component of the N50 billion approved by the Federal Government for disbursement to university-based unions in Nigeria. The fund was approved to address “earned allowances”, which includes Earned Academic Allowances for academic staff and other allowances for non-academic staff.

This allowance, it was further gathered, is intended to cover outstanding arrears for both academic and non-academic staff.

However, the distribution of the funds has led to disputes among the unions, particularly regarding the sharing formula.

In the letter, CONUA-UNIZIK further alleged that the Management of UNIZIK, the Vice Chancellor and Bursar in connivance with the leadership of ASUU have concluded an agreement for only lecturers who are members of ASUU to be paid the EAA to the exclusion of lecturers who are members of CONUA.

The letter read in part, “There exist three government’s recognised academic associations in the Nigerian University institutions, namely; the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Congress of University Academics, and National Association of Medical and Dental Academics. A university lecturer is free to be a member of any of them or none at all.

“The EAA is a financial benefit given by the Federal Government without discrimination to all academic Staff of Nigerian Universities to cushion the adversities and strain of academic workload.

“But the Management of UNIZIK, the vice-chancellor and Bursar in connivance with the leadership of ASUU have concluded an agreement for only lecturers who are members of ASUU to be paid the EAA to the exclusion of lecturers who are members of CONUA.

“Again, there is a concluded plan between the University Management and ASUU to transfer the money to ASUU leadership for ASUU to assume responsibility in the payment of the EAA only to ASUU members of the University, excluding the CONUA members.”

The union claimed further that misappropriating of a large part of the EAA is very high under ASUU leadership of the institution.

The union, however, demanded that management of the institution comply with the set guidelines in the disbursement of the EAA.

“All the merited academic staff of the UNIZIK shall be paid the EAA by the university management. All academic staff who are members of CONUA shall be paid the EAA as well.

“Finally, we will not spare legal redress to ensure that we are not discriminated against in the payment of the EAA to the academics of the university. The university management is hereby informed,” the petition added.