 Good evening. I am Maureen Minnongwe-Zigran. This is the news update. The federal government is set to break the ranks of the academic staff union of universities ASU when it registered two unions in the university system. The unions are the National Association of Medical and Dental Academics, NAMDA, and the Congress of Nigerian University Academics, Conwa. The Minister of Labor and Productivity, Chris Ngige, explained that the two bodies will exist alongside ASU. ASU has been on strike since February 14, 2022, as lecturers of public universities protest on paid allowances and demand a better welfare package from the federal government. Conwa had in 2018 applied for registration as a trade union of the Ministry of Labor and Employment, while the Minister, Dr. Chris Ngige, in 2020, set up a ministerial committee to look into the application. The new Congress already has branches in Michael Okbara University of Agriculture, Umudike Abea State, University of Benin, Federal University Lokuja, Federal University Oye Ekiti, or Bahfemiah Waluwe University Leife, and the University of Jas, among others. At press time, a Conwa delegation was being expected at the headquarters of the Ministry of Labor and Employment in Abuja for a courtesy call where the group's certificate of registration will be presented. Hello, hope you enjoyed the news. Please do subscribe to our YouTube channel and don't forget to hit the notification button so you get notified about fresh news updates.