ASUU loses as court confirms CONUA and NAMDA as Trade Unions

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has lost its lawsuit against the Federal Government’s registration of the Congress Of University Academics (CONUA) and the Nigeria Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA) as trade unions

Recall that ASUU in October 2022, had dragged the government before the National Industrial Court (NIC), for recognising CONUA and NAMDa as academic unions.

However, the NIC in judgement today, Tuesday, July 25, 2023, dismissed the suit filed by ASUU and validated the CONUA and NAMDa as trade unions.

Justice Kanyip while delivering judgment on Tuesday held that Section 27 of the Trade Union Act allows for more than one trade union in employment and that that the section does not depict trade monopoly.

Kanyip also held that the then minister of labour, Chris Ngige, and the registrar of Trade Unions had the right to register both the NAMDA and CONUA to co-exist with ASUU.