CONUA and NAMDA registration are unconstitutional – Falana kicks

According to human rights lawyer and senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, the Nigerian Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA) and the Congress of Nigerian University Academics (CONUA), which were recently registered by the Nigerian government are illegal.

Falana provided a legal perspective on the Academic Staff Union of Universities‘ (ASUU) fallout with the Federal Government in an interview with Arise TV’s Newsday on Wednesday. He also outlined the consequences of the new unions.

In his words, he said;

“Under the current Labour Law regime in Nigeria, you cannot have two unions or three unions in the same sector.

“In other words, within the academia in Nigeria, there can only be one registered trade union that is the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) registered pursuant to the Trade Union Act as amended.

“We are going to have a mushrooming of trade unions, which threatens industrial peace in the country. We cannot have two unions in the university nor can we have two unions in other unions in the country. Politically it won’t work.”

Falana described the registration as unconstitutional and a last-ditch effort by the administration to end the ongoing ASUU strike.

He further added that;

 “Government has tried various measures but the latest one is perhaps going to embarrass the government because it is an illegal exercise and won’t work. ASUU is today one of the most organised and united trade unions in Africa.

Falana stated that the economy would deteriorate as a result of the expansion of academic unions brought on by the registration of breakaway unions.

To avoid mocking the nation, he asked the government to go back to the drawing board and seek proper guidance.

Senator Chris Ngige, the minister of labor and employment, authorized the registration of CONUA and NAMDA on Tuesday and directed the unions to resume lecturing.

Source by Six9ja.com