The Committee of Pro-Chancellors of State-Owned Universities (COPSUN) has called on the Federal Government and other stakeholders to demonstrate good faith without further delay in order to avert another avoidable crisis arising from the lingering dispute with university-based unions.

COPSUN commended the Federal Government’s recent decision to place a moratorium on the proliferation of universities in the country. The body, however, urged governments to annually review and increase budgetary allocations to education, as well as ensure timely release of funds, to strengthen existing institutions.

The call was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the 69th meeting of COPSUN, held at the Conference Room of the CVCNU Secretariat, Wuse, Abuja. The communiqué was signed by its acting Chairman, Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Governing Council, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Professor Ayodeji Omole, and made available to newsmen in Ibadan.

The Pro-Chancellors stressed that Nigeria cannot afford another round of industrial action in the university system, noting that universities are yet to fully recover from the disruptions of the last strike.

They further advised that COPSUN representatives be included in dispute resolution and negotiation processes whenever trade disputes involving national bodies of labour unions in universities arise.

To prevent internal conflicts, the body also urged Pro-Chancellors to operate in strict compliance with university laws and statutes in order to avoid unnecessary friction with Vice-Chancellors.