The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has been ordered with immediate effect by the Court of Appeal in Abuja, on Friday, to call off its almost eight-month-old strike and resume lectures immediately.
The court’s order was given after dismissing the union’s request for a stay of execution of a previous order of the National Industrial Court that directed university lecturers to begin work.
The National Industrial Court (NIC) has earlier instructed ASUU to call off the strike but the union decided to appeal the ruling.
The three-member panel of the court of appeal led by Hamma Barka gave the Union permission to appeal the ruling of the NIC on the condition that the union must first resume work for them to be allowed to file the appeal.
The Federal Government, however, threatened to sue striking lecturers under the ASUU umbrella should they fail to resume as ruled by the court.
Dr. Chris Ngige, Minister of Labor and Employment, who officially issued the threat during an interview on the channel’s TV after the court order on Friday, said that he had directed Labour controllers to monitor compliance at all tertiary institutions across the country.
He said, “The court says ASUU must obey today (Friday). I have asked labour controllers in the 36 states and the zones to reach out to the universities; number one, to see if the vice chancellors have opened the gates because that is one of the importance of the judgment of the Industrial Court.
“You must open the gates, you must open the class rooms and to see whether those workers, those teachers reported today, tomorrow Friday and Saturday. My labour controllers will write me a report.
“The Education Ministry through the National University Commission (NUC) will also do their bit and we will compare it. By Tuesday, if they have complied with this, first, they will have the right to appeal as the court says.
“If they come back to their classroom, they will have time to attach evidence and do their appeal. My labour controllers will also give me things to support education in the country. If they don’t, go and read that portion of the NICN Act, they will be charged for contempt.”
However, Professor Emmanuel Sodeke, ASUU President has said it will first study the ruling of the appeal court which ordered its members to return back to work.
He said, “We will review the judgment with our lawyer and we will decide on the next step.”