The government now wants the Nigeria Labour
Congress (NLC) to allow the registration of two new academic unions.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige
made the call on Tuesday in a statement by Olajide Oshundun, Head of Public
Relations in the ministry.
The unions – Congress for Nigerian University
Academics (CONUA) and Nigeria Association of Medical and Dental Academics
(NAMDA) earlier received letters of recognition from the government.
In response, NLC President, Ayuba Wabba
demanded the withdrawal of the letters issued on the grounds that their
registration contravened the laws guiding trade unionism.
But Ngige, in his reply, appealed to the NLC
to allow the new bodies to exist in the spirit of Freedom of Association.
The minister said the Trade Dispute Act 2004
gives him the sole power to register new trade unions, either by registering a
new union or regrouping existing ones.
Ngige explained that the new unions were
offshoots or by-products of regrouping and their applications were considered
by two committees of his ministry.
The official told the NLC that CONUA and NAMDA
were regrouped from ASUU for efficiency and effectiveness in the system.
“Comrade President, do not unnecessarily
oppose the registration of these new academic unions. As an uncle of the
unions opposes none in the spirit of Freedom of Association”, he noted.
Pointing out his power to register unions
under Section 3 (2) of the Trade Dispute Act, CAP T14, Ngige cited litigation
in the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN).
The case involved the Nigerian Union of
Pensioners (NUP) and the Federal Parastatals and Private Sector Pensioners
Association of Nigeria (FEPPAN) regrouped from the NUP.
Ngige recalled that the NICN, in suit
NICN/ABJ/219/2019, affirmed its initial ruling that the power to register trade
unions resides with the Minister of Labour and Employment.
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