The President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Prof. Emmanuel Oshodeke, has reacted to the description given by the Head of the Civil Service of the federation on the union has crass ignorance.

In a recent report, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan, said the Nigerian Medical Association and the Academic Staff Union of Universities, as well as their affiliates, were not recognised labour unions in the public service.

She also stated that the Federal Government was considering creating two additional councils in the education and health sectors.

But the union president said, “It shows the act of ignorance and quality of people managing this country. How can somebody say a union that was established and registered in 1972 and has been operating in Nigeria during the civilian, military and with a Return Certificate signed by the Registrar of Trade Union Act saying the union is not recognised? It shows the stupidity and ignorance and level of people who are running this country. She doesn’t know what the union is about; they are igniting more problems for themselves.

While reacting to Yemi-Esan’s statement that the FG would create council in the education sector, the ASUU president said, “I don’t know what she meant, we will get in touch with the Minister, we are not aware of any council. Whatever they are planning, we are waiting, whatever they want we are waiting. If this woman wants to do what the military could not do, we are waiting for them. Every Nigerian knows the history of ASUU; we submit our reports to the Trade Union.”

However, the Head of Civil Service of the Federationhas denied a report credited to her that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Nigeria Medical Associations (NMA) are not recognised labour unions in the public service.

According to report, she clarified that she only spoke on the proposal to bring both ASUU and NMA in the Joint National Public Service Negotiation Council as their absence was robbing them of the opportunity of participating in the discussion of critical issues before resorting to strike action as a last resort.