Withheld dues: NLC says FG rejected ASUU report

The Nigeria Labour Congress informed the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, of the Office of the Registrar of Trade Unions’ decision to reject the Academic Staff Union of Universities’ four-year audited reports, according to The PUNCH.Information Guide Nigeria

According to The PUNCH, ASUU has accused the Federal Government of withholding the union’s November 2022 check-off dues despite early withdrawals from the source.

The spokesperson for the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Olajide Oshundun, confirmed to The PUNCH that the payments were delayed due to ASUU’s refusal to submit the required documentation.

ASUU had insisted that the government see the report.

Wednesday, a member of the union’s National Executive Council provided our correspondent with a letter issued by NLC in support of the union’s claim.JAMB Result

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In a letter dated 22 September 2022 and written to Ngige, the NLC observed that ministry personnel thwarted ASUU’s efforts to submit the reports.

“We are greatly alarmed that the timely submission of the annual financial reports and audited accounts by ASUU in accordance with the directives of the Registrar of Trade Unions was rejected by the staff members at the Office of the Registrar of Trade Unions. The staff members disclosed that they were under strict instructions not to accept ASUU’s annual financial reports and audited accounts.

“Later efforts to send the requested union’s financial documents by courier services were equally rejected by the Office of the Registrar of Trade Unions.”

The NLC, in the letter, claimed that the short notice given to ASUU to submit its reports at a time there were threats by the Registrar of Trade Unions to withdraw the union’s certificate of registration and the refusal to accept the same documents upon submission suggested: “a very sinister agenda which is capable of destroying the current general harmony in industrial relations in Nigeria.”NYSC portal

When our correspondent contacted Oshundun, the ministry’s spokeswoman, on the text of the NLC’s letter, he stated he would investigate and get back to our correspondent.JAMB portal

He has not done so as of the time this report was filed.

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