Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) claims that Dr. Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment, advised the Federal Government to outlaw the union.
Dr. John Edor, the branch chairman for the University of Calabar (UNICAL), gave a speech yesterday shortly after the union’s congress meeting in Calabar.
Edor called the minister’s action extremely inappropriate and said the government should be considering ways to end the more than eight-month strike.
A government figure like Ngige shouldn’t be discussing banning the union at this time, the man stated. In a meeting with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the minister took part in the cease-fire himself.
“Any government official who is still thinking along those lines should reverse course for the good of the nation.”
He claimed that after the House of Representatives Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, intervened, the union consented to meet, decided to revise its stance, and achieved an arrangement with the federal government.
The National Executive Council of ASUU will make the ultimate decision after we have processed this result through several organs.
Edor criticized the Federal Government’s registration of the Congress of Nigerian University Academics (CONUA) and Nigeria Association of Medical and Dental Lecturers in Academics (NAMDA) as organizations.
There is a case where a group of people applied to form a union together and the Ministry of Labor informed them that they could not be registered since another union already existed that met their demands.
The two unions’ registration is unlawful. There are no CONUA members in Unical. Instead of dividing ASUU, address the issues that ASUU is asking you to investigate, he advised.
“Any official of the administration who is still thinking in those terms should change their mind for the welfare of the country.”
He asserted that the union agreed to meet, decided to change its position, and reached an agreement with the federal government when House of Representatives Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila interfered.
The final decision will be made by the ASUU National Executive Council after we have evaluated this result through several organs.
Edor attacked the Federal Government for registering the Nigeria Association of Medical and Dental Lecturers in Academics (NAMDA) and Congress of Nigerian University Academics (CONUA) as organizations.
