THE Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has asked the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to obey the court ruling directing lecturers to call off their ongoing strike while negotiation continues.
Ngige gave the advice on Friday, September 23 while speaking to journalists at the sideline of the 77th United Nations General Assembly and the official launch of the Nigeria Integrated National Financing Framework Report (NIFF).
The ICIR had reported that the National Industrial Court on Wednesday ordered ASUU to call off its ongoing nationwide strike, pending the determination of a suit filed by the Federal Government.
But ASUU had rejected the ruling, stating that it would appeal the judgment.
Ngige, however, said ASUU should obey the court and call off the strike before going on appeal.
“I’m not ASUU, but the maximum in law is that when there is a court judgment or ruling or order you must first obey and then we can apply for an appeal if you so desire, or apply for stay of execution.
“So, the maximum in law, jurisprudence and everything about the law is that you obey the court’s ruling, judgment or order, no matter how bad. The qualifying thing is that no matter how bad and no matter how you disagree with it, you first obey. Like the military people say, obey before complain.
“So, we expect them to get back to the classrooms, but that doesn’t foreclose negotiations. The negotiations should be on. As a matter of fact, it will be on officially and non-officially. For example, the House of Representatives had invited us to come and brief them. And together, they are stakeholders. You heard Mr President said to the committee of Pro-Chancellors when they visited him, that he would do consultation as per the two requests on putting an icing on the cake on the government offer to ASUU members and the issue of resettlement fund to cushion the effect of the ‘no work no pay’ situation they found themselves in.
“So, the President will look at it. We will interface with the House of Representatives and all of us collectively will advise Mr. President.”
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: umustapha@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M