The Federal Government has withdrawn the certificate of registration issued to Agricultural and Allied Employees Union of Nigeria (AAEUN) following leadership tussle with sister union, Agriculture and Allied Workers Union (AAWUN).
A letter to AAEUN signed by Mrs Omoudy Akpan, Director, Trade Union Services and Industrial Relations Department, Ministry of Labour and Employment, said the withdrawal was in compliance with a Court of Appeal judgment.
It reads: “The Ministry forthwith declines recognition of both the Agriculture and Allied Employees Union of Nigeria (AAEUN) and the Agricultural and Allied Workers Union (AAWUN) factions, as Unions in the Agriculture sector.
“Consequent upon the above, the Ministry hereby withdraws the certificate of registration reg no. 0112 issued to AAEUN.
“In view of the above, both factions AAEUN and AAWUN are hereby directed to meet and come up with a registrable name in compliance with section 27 of the Trade Union Act Cap. T14 (LFN) 2004.
“Note, however, that all parties to the terms of settlement which formed the basis of the consent judgment must be part of the process as provided by Section 27 of the Trade Union Act,” Ministry said in the letter.
A similar letter from the Ministry of Justice had declared that both AAWUN and AAEUN has ceased to exist and were now under Agricultural and Allied Union of Nigeria (AAUN).
It would be recalled that the Court of Appeal had in June 2012 ruled that both the AAEUN and the AAWUN be collapsed into the AAUN.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a reconciliatory meeting held between the unions had agreed that a process be initiated for a change of the union’s name to AAUN and a new certificate issued.
Other agreements which formed part of the meeting’s terms of settlement included “that the dissolution of the state council of both parties be carried out within three months from entry of these terms of settlement.
“That the former staff will be re-instated without losing position, salary grade level and rank; that the payment of the entitlement of the former General Secretary comrade R.O. Ikumajogwu, be paid as soon as funds are available alongside with the staff affected by the crises and either reinstated or retained.
“That this resolution will be registered in the Court of Appeal as terms of settlement to facilitate the immediate withdrawal of the case in court.”
The parties had also agreed to put a motion in place for the withdrawal of the case from Court of Appeal, Lagos Division having settled out of court.