By Gabriel Enogholase

BENIN-ACADEMIC Staff Union of Secondary Schools of Nigeria, ASUSS, has called on Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, to call the Registrar of Trade Unions, Mrs. N. Mbogu to order over her interference with a matter already before a court between it and the Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT.

Mbogu was accused by ASUSS as describing the union as not being a registered trade union and therefore cannot be conferred with the rights and privileges of a registered trade union in consonance with Section 2 (i) of the Trade Union Act Cap T.14 0F 2004.

She was also accused of allegedly writing the various states of the federation on behalf of NUT on the same issue despite the fact that it was the NUT that filed a suit against the Ministry and the Registrar of Trade Unions.

Mbogu, through her actions, ASUSS alleged, want to pervert the course justice by not wanting the court to decide on the matter.

ASUSS, in a letter to the Minister, recalled that in 2008, the Ministry of Labour and Productivity, after due consideration of its application for registration, approved the application with the letter of approval sent to the Registrar of Trade Unions to take every necessary action to effect the approval.

The union explained that following this development, NUT instituted an action against the Ministry at that time in court, which was still pending.

The union said: “Despite the fact that the case is still in court and despite the fact that the Registrar of Trade Unions is a party to the suit at the Federal High Court, Abuja, the Registrar of Trade Unions has been issuing letters prejudicial to the case in court.”