The Court of Appeal has ordered ASUU to return to work. In doing so, the court is dismissing the union’s application for a stay of execution of an earlier ruling of the National Industrial Court instructing the university lecturers to resume work.
Additionally, the court has directed the labour officials to ensure that the court’s order is complied with.
This directive and judgement came on Friday, following the ASUU and the Federal Government’s inability to resolve their conflict peacefully.
The panel of the Court led by Hamma Barka granted the union permission to appeal the industrial court ruling.
However, the court also stated that the organisation must first resume work to be allowed to file the appeal.
Minister of Labour and Employment has asked labour controllers in the states and the zones to go to the schools and see if vice-chancellors have opened the gates.
The judge warned, “If they don’t agree and comply, they will be charged with contempt.”
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, says labour controllers across the country are monitoring schools to ensure compliance with the ruling of the Court of Appeal.
Mr Ngige gave this information when he appeared on a programme on Channels TV on Friday.
He insisted that members of ASUU must obey the court order or they risk contempt of the court.
The Minister of Labour and Employment said he would advise the ASUU, for the benefit of the children, to go back to school. Then go back to the (National Industrial) Court.
This action will help them get their hands on either of two things—one, set up an Alternative Dispute Resolution to look at the seven issues Minister Ngige transmitted to the court. The ADR will be based in the court.
“Two, if the two parties involved in the conflict can go back to their primary root, the Ministry of Education,” he said.
According to Minister Ngige, he was forced to take the union to court after all other efforts failed to address the lingering strike.
