*As Appeal Court Rules On Jurisdiction Of Labour Unions
The National Executive Council of the Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government Owned Companies (SSASCGOC) has commended the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) for recording another milestone with the recent launch of the Beneficiary Ownership Register (BOR).
The commendation was contained in a Twelve-Point Communique read by its President General, Comrade Kayode Sirajuddeen Alakija, at the end of its meeting in Jos, Plateau State.
The SSASCGOC NEC noted with delight that CAC’s BOR became another record-breaker as the first of its kind on the African continent.
It also commended the Commission’s enforcement activities, especially the recent move to strike off one hundred thousand dormant companies from the register, describing the move as capable of sanitising the business environment to attract foreign direct investments to the country.
It therefore charged the Commission, under the leadership of Alhaji Garba Abubakar, to sustain the gains of the project as well as continue to improve its services in line with global best practises.
The SSASCGOC NEC also used the forum to commend the judiciary for another landmark judgement by the Court of Appeal in the case of SSASCGOC and AUPCTRE, in which judgement was given in favour of SSASCGOC.
The Court of Appeal held on Friday, July 28, 2023, that SSASCGOC reserved the right to unionise Senior Staff from Level 7 and above in all statutory corporations and government-owned companies, while AUPCTRE can only unionise junior staff from Level 6 downwards as provided by the Labour laws.
The judgement was the aftermath of an appeal instituted by the Amalgamated Union Of Public Corporations Civil Service Technical And Recreational
Service Employers (AUPCTRE) against the Senior Staff Association Of Statutory;
Corporations And Government Owned (ASSASCGOC)
The appeal was against the judgement of the National Industrial Court sitting in Abuja in Suit No. NICN/ABJ/125/2019 delivered on December 17, 2019 by Hon. Justice O.Y. Anuwe.
The notice of appeal which was filed on December 20, 2019, contained six grounds of appeal.
Justices of the Court of Appeal Ugochukwu Anthony Ogakwu, Mohammed Mustapha, and James Gambo Abundaga all consented to the landmark judgement, which put to rest the arguments surrounding the jurisdictions of the two Unions.
The NEC meeting of SSASCGOC concluded by resolving to cooperate and work in harmony with all tiers of government and also with the Managements of member agencies.
It pledged to uphold the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Trade Unions Act, and the Nigeria Labour Law to ensure all-inclusive, good corporate governance that would engender mutual growth in organisations.
SSASCGOC NEC also called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to evolve a practical approach to solving Nigeria’s social, economic, and political challenges by engaging all stakeholders on all issues of National interest.
