SHARE THIS
–Pix(above, L-R): PMB and Ngige
The Federal Government of President Muhammadu Buhari is purportedly making moves to withdraw the registration of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) as a trade union, in show of executive powers. This comes against the backdrop of an alleged failure of the union to submit its audited reports in the last five years as required.
This much was revealed by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chief Chris Ngige, who said the Registrar of Trade Unions has written a query to the union on why its certificate of registration should not be withdrawn for running foul of the law.
Speaking on Thursday, September 22, 2022, while receiving members of the Nigerian Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA), who had visited him to express their solidarity with the Federal Government on the ASUU-FG face off, Ngige said: “ASUU has not responded to the relevant section of Trade Union Creation for submission of audited accounts. How do they utilise their money? We don’t know. The money they collect as check-off dues should be accounted for. The Trade Union Act says that in June of any given year, unions should produce audited account at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.
“The Registrar of Trade Unions has written them to show cause why we should not withdraw their certificate of registration. They have not responded to the letter. Rather, I learned that they came last Friday, with bundles of papers and said they are their audited account.
“Of course, he (the registrar) rightly told them that he didn’t ask them for their audited accounts anymore; that he need them to respond to his query on why disciplinary action should not be taken against them.
“If disciplinary action is taken against ASUU now, although I am restraining him (the registrar), they will say that it is because we are in court. They will say that they are being victimised because they are on strike; whereas, they have been running foul of the law.
“Five good years, they have not tendered an audited account of their activities, at least, for the benefit of their members. For now, you (NAMDA) are their members. They should give you account of how they spent your money. They have not done so,” Ngige explained.
The Minister lamented that the university-based unions have been in the habit of not obeying the law that sets them up with regard to the submission of their yearly audited account, saying he was constrained to allow the hammer of the law to descend on ASUU because of the prolonged strike, noting however, that any action taken by the government would be wrongly interpreted.
He maintained that going by the provisions of the law, the leadership of the university-based unions that collect check-off dues from their members are mandated to render account on how the money is spent.
Meanwhile, university lecturers in the medical field have applied to the Ministry of Labour and Employment to be registered as a separate trade union under the aegis of NAMDA.
The group has also said that it did not join the ongoing strike embarked upon by ASUU, rather, its members were locked out due to the industrial dispute declared by the union.
Noting that the country has shortage of medical doctors and that it would not be in its interest to lose a year because of any strike, NAMDA said it would soon commence examination for 500 and 400 level medical students.
Responding to the group’s request to be registered as a separate trade union, Ngige said, “I am happy today that you people have noticed what is wrong with medical education and decided now to form a single trade union.
“Yes, we have received your application about two or three months ago. Even when NMA had come to make an oral application for you people, I told them that it is not done that way. If you understand what you need, you come to be registered as a trade union. Registration as a trade union has its own rights and privileges.”/SHARE THIS