Accept ASUU’s Financial Reports – NLC Tells Trade Union Registrar

Academic Staff Union of Universities has submitted its five years annual financial returns and audited accounts requested by the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Gatekeepers News reports that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has, therefore, urged the Registrar of Trade Unions to approve and file them (ASUU).

The NLC President, Ayuba Wabba made this plea in a letter addressed to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, and the Registrar of Trade Unions on Friday.

The letter was entitled, “Re: Non-Rendition of Annual Financial Returns and Audited Accounts’’.

Wabba appealed to the Registrar to accept and filed the report in accordance with the provisions of Section 37(1) of the Trade Union Act CAP TILFN 2004.

The Labour Minister had said that ASUU’s registration, as a trade union may be withdrawn over alleged failure to submit its audited reports as required by law for over five years.

Wabba said that Congress attention had been drawn by the ASUU, an affiliate to a letter dated Sept. 7, on the foregoing subject.

The NLC President said, “we understand that ASUU has responded to your query to submit its Annual Financial Reports and Audited Accounts within 72 hours.

“ASUU responded to the query through their letter dated Sept. 9. In the letter, the union posited that it had submitted the Annual Financial Returns and Audited Accounts for 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017.

“ASUU also averred that the union has now rendered the account for 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 as of 9th September 2022.

“All these submissions were made in less than 72 hours in compliance with your query as conveyed in your letter of Sept. 7.’’

Wabba explained that the union was unable to file the reports immediately the financial documents were prepared and available for filing due to disruptions occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The NLC president said that regardless of the COVID-19 disruptions, the union had paid for the statutory required filing fees.

He added, “We also understand that ASUU sent one of their staff and their external auditor to personally deliver the requested financial documents on Sept. 9.

“But their efforts to submit the documents were rebuffed by your staff who insisted that they were under instructions not to accept any document from ASUU.

“ASUU subsequently sent the requested financial documents through courier services but again the staff in your office refused to receive the Annual Financial Returns and the Audited Accounts from ASUU.’’

Wabba added that given the current stalemate, “we write to implore you to use your good offices to accept and file the Annual Financial Returns and Audited Accounts by ASUU.”

He said, “While we look forward to your kind consideration of our request, please accept the renewed assurances of our highest esteem.”