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The National Industrial Court of Nigeria, sitting in Abuja, has ordered the Federal Government and the Registrar of the Trade Unions to register the newly formed National Association of Non-Teaching Staff of Nigerian Universities as a trade union.
In the judgement delivered by Justice Osatohanmwen Obaseki-Osaghae, the court ordered the Registrar of Trade Unions, the Minister of Labour and Employment, and the Attorney General of the Federation to register National Association of Non-Teaching Staff of Nigerian Universities as a trade union under the Trade Union Act.
The court issued a mandatory order compelling the Registrar of Trade Unions, the Minister of Labour and Employment, and the Attorney General of the Federation to register the association and issue its certificate of registration under the Trade Union Act. It also granted a perpetual injunction restraining the government and its agents from denying the union recognition.
The varsity workers had earlier filed a case, suit number NICN/ABJ/345/2023, before the court through one comrade Niyi Akinnibi, seeking an order directing the government to register the National Association of Non-Teaching Staff of Nigerian Universities as a trade union.
The Court faulted the action of the Registrar of Trade Unions, and the Minister of Labour and Employment for their refusal to register NANTS as a trade union. It also restrained the defendants and the agents from denying claimant registration as a trade union under the Trade Unions Act.
The judgement read, “A declaration is hereby made that the defendants are bound to register the claimant’s National Association of Non-Teaching Staff of Nigerian Universities as a Trade Union under the Trade Union Act.
“A declaration is hereby made that the refusal of the first and second defendants to register the claimant’s National Association of Non-Teaching Staff of Nigerian Universities as a Trade Union under the Trade Unions Act is wrongful.
“A mandatory order is hereby made directing the first and second defendants to register forthwith and or to issue the claimant forthwith with the certificate of registration of the National Association of Non-Teaching Staff of Nigerian Universities as a Trade Union under the Trade Unions Act.
“An order of perpetual injunction is hereby made restraining the defendants, their agents, privies, assigns or any other person or authority deriving authority from them from denying claimant registration as a trade union under the Trade Unions Act.”
With this judgment, NANTS is set to join the ranks of recognized trade unions in Nigeria’s university system, giving non-teaching staff an independent platform to pursue their welfare and industrial interests.
Credit: Punch
