Education

FG, ASUU SUIT: COURT AFFIRMS CONUA, NAMDA AS TRADE UNIONS

Published

9 months ago

July 25, 2023

The National Industrial Court on Tuesday affirmed the recognition of the Congress of Nigerian University Academics (CONUA) and the National Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA) as trade unions.

The claimant in the suit, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), dragged the Minister of Labour and Employment, The Registrar, Trade Union, CONUA and NAMDA as first, second, third and fourth defendants respectively.Delivering judgment, Justice Benedict Kanyip held that in line with the International Labour Organisation ( ILO) Act, there can be more than one trade union within employment.

The judge in addition stated that contrary to the claimant’s submission that Section 3 ( 2) of the Trade Union Act made the first and second defendants incompetent to register CONUA and NAMDA to coexist and carry out the same functions in the universities as ASUU. Kanyip said that the Section does not encourage the monopoly of trade unions, but rather the section encourages the existence of other trade unions.

The court said “The reliefs prayed by the claimant failed, refused and I so hold. I make no order as to cost”.From facts, the claimant had instituted the suit via an originating summons filed on June 26, 2022.The claimant’s counsel, Mr Femi Falana SAN, submitted two questions for determination. Part of the question was whether by Section 4 (2) of the constitution of Nigeria 1999 as amended and Section 3 (2) of TUA, the second defendant can register CONUA and NAMDA to carry out the same functions covering the same jurisdiction sphere as the claimant.

The counsel further averred that the second and third defendants registered the third and fourth defendants in a bid to split ASUU.

The first and second defendants in reply submitted that the court should determine whether the issues raised by the claimant were not speculative and academic.

The third defendant on its part raised three issues that bordered on whether the claimant put before the court any proof, whether the claimant’s suit was not liable to be dismissed and whether the third and fourth defendants were not legally registered.

The fourth defendant submitted for the determination of the court whether there was any violation in the registration of the two unions.

The court in arriving at its decision held that the claimant in its submission stated that the first and second defendants approved the registration of CONUA to operate in the universities as a trade union on Oct.4,2022.

According to the court, the claimant gave evidence of this assertion from an online publication titled ” FG registers 2 new university unions in a bid to split ASUU”. Although the fourth defendant objected to the admissibility of the publication in evidence, stating that the publication was a hearsay evidence, the court however dismissed the objection and allowed the admissibility as Exhibit 1. The court also held that the fourth defendant was not registered as a trade union until Jan.11, collected the certificate of registration on Jan. 13 and formally completed all processes to be registered as a trade union on Jan.17, 2023.The court therefore ruled that as at June 26,2022 when the claimant filed the suit, the fourth defendant was not in existence.

The court in the judgment equally said that the claimant did not have any evidence when it came to court to file the suit. Adding that the name under which the claimant sued the fourth defendant was wrongly spelt as “Nigeria Association of Medical Doctors Academics” instead of ” National Association of Medical Doctors Academics”.

The court however added a suit can be allowed if a juristic entity is misnamed.

The judge stated that the first and second defendants argued that because the claimant could not produce evidence that the two unions were registered by them before filing the suit, the action rendered the suit as speculative, academic and should be dismissed.In defending the suit, the third defendant also submitted that the suit was vague, not precise and described the claimant’t claim as not substantiative.

The court concluded by stating that there was no express conferment of exclusive jurisdictional scope of the claimant, that therefore the claimant cannot not claim it.

The court added that the claimant failed to show the encroachment of the jurisdictional scope which it cannot lay exclusive right to it by restricting the rights of others, as the second defendant did not lay bare such exclusive rights in its schedule.

Education

1ST NIGERIAN TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS CONFERENCE ON UN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDGS) ESSAY COMPETITION

Published

2 months ago

February 29, 2024

Eniola sanni

The 1st Nigerian Tertiary Institutions Conference on UN SDGs presents the SDG Youth Essay Competition, offering undergraduates in Nigerian tertiary institutions a chance to contribute to the discussion on achieving SDG4, Quality Education.

Competition Overview:

1st Nigerian Tertiary Institutions Conference on UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Essay Competition

The SDG Youth Essay Competition offers a grand prize of N1 million for the top three winners, along with free sponsorship to attend the 1st Nigeria Tertiary Institution Conference on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in April 2024 in Abuja.

Competition Requirements:

1. Eligibility:

– Open exclusively to undergraduates in Nigerian tertiary institutions.

2. Entry Guidelines:

– Topic:The Role of Students in Attainment of SDG4

– length: Essays should be 1500 words.

– Entry Period: Thursday, February 1, 2024 – Thursday, February 29, 2024

– Referencing: APA Style (6th Edition).

– Font: Times New Roman, 12-point font size.

– Documentation: Typed in 1.5 line spacing, MS Word format only.

– Plagiarism: Only original content is accepted; plagiarized entries will be disqualified.

Benefits:

– Prizes:

– 1st Prize: N500,000

– 2nd Prize: N300,000

– 3rd Prize: N200,000

– Winners will also receive free sponsorship to attend the 1st Nigeria Tertiary Institution Conference on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in April 2024 in Abuja.

Required Documents:

– Student’s Institution ID Card

– Copy of Student’s Admission Letter

– One recent passport-size photograph

– WhatsApp telephone number and email address

Application Procedure:

– All entries and submissions (essay and required documents) should be scanned and sent to nigeriaessay@sdgyouth.org before the deadline.

For Further Inquiries:

– Call: 08068931151, 08133846739, 07067772964

– Email: nigeriaessay@sdgyouth.org

Deadline: February 29th, 2024

Don’t miss this opportunity to contribute to achieving SDG4 and win exciting prizes. Submit your entry and required documents before the deadline. For any inquiries, feel free to contact them via phone or email.

Education

PENTAGON PARTNERS NATIONAL ESSAY COMPETITION FOR UNDERGRADUATE LAW STUDENTS

Published

2 months ago

February 29, 2024

Eniola sanni

Are you an undergraduate law student in Nigeria eager to explore the intersection of law and Artificial Intelligence (AI)? Pentagon Partners presents a unique opportunity for 400-level and 500-level undergraduate law students to participate in the National Essay Competition.

Competition Overview:

Pentagon Partners National Essay Competition for Undergraduate Law Students

The National Essay Competition invites undergraduate law students to showcase their expertise and contribute to the discourse on AI, privacy, and data protection. In addition to cash prizes, participants have the chance to intern with Pentagon Partners, gaining valuable hands-on experience.

Competition Requirements:

1. Eligibility:

– The competition is open to 400-level and 500-level undergraduate law students in Nigerian universities.

2. Essay Requirements:

– Length: Essays should not exceed 1500 words.

– Format: Double spaced, 12pt Times New Roman font.

– References: OSCOLA format for citations with 10pt font size for footnotes and endnotes.

– Submission Format: Essays must be submitted in PDF format.

– Entrant Details: Include full names, school, level, phone number, and email address in both the body of the email and on the last page of the essay.

– Single Entry: Each entrant is allowed only one submission.

– Originality: Plagiarism will result in automatic disqualification.

Competition Benefits and Timeline:

1. Prizes:

– Winner: N200,000

– 1st Runner Up: N150,000

– 2nd Runner Up: N100,000

2. Internship Opportunity:

– In addition to cash prizes, winners have the exclusive opportunity to intern with Pentagon Partners, enhancing their career prospects.

Application Procedure:

– Interested participants should submit their essays to essay@pentagonpartnerslp.com during the submission period.

– The subject of the email should be the Essay topic

For additional information and updates, visit www.pentagonpartnerslp.com.

Deadline: March 22nd, 2024

Don’t miss this chance to showcase your legal expertise, contribute to important discussions on AI and law, and vie for enticing cash prizes. Pentagon Partners looks forward to receiving your submissions.

Education

SYSTEMSPECS CHILDREN’S DAY ESSAY COMPETITION (CDEC), 2024

Published

2 months ago

February 29, 2024

Eniola sanni

The SystemSpecs Children’s Day Essay Competition (CDEC) is an annual event aimed at fostering innovative thinking among primary and secondary school students in Nigeria. It provides a platform for young minds to propose technological solutions to national challenges.

Purpose:
Inaugurated in 2020, the CDEC is part of SystemSpecs’ Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) commitment to promoting capacity development in the Nigerian ICT industry. By encouraging young Nigerians to tackle everyday issues, the competition contributes to intellectual growth and societal progress.

SystemSpecs Children’s Day Essay Competition (CDEC), 2024

Topic:
The theme for the 2024 competition is “Protecting the Nigerian Child from the Dangers of Online Technology.” Participants are tasked with exploring strategies to safeguard children in an increasingly digital world.

Eligibility:
– Open to primary and secondary school students in Nigeria aged 9 to 16.

– Junior category (ages 9 to 12) essays must not exceed 1,000 words.

– Senior category (ages 13 to 16) essays must not exceed 1,500 words.

Prizes:

– Winners will receive generous rewards, including a high-capacity laptop, premium headphones, a portable laptop stand, a smart wristwatch, and one year of internet data, among other items.

– Consolation prizes will be awarded to other participants.

Application Process:

– Interested candidates should access the application page

– Essays must be written in English and reflect original thought.

– Each participant is limited to one entry.

– Entries must be endorsed by an accredited school official, parent, or legal guardian.

– Deadline for submissions is April 12, 2024.

Submission Guidelines:

– All submissions must be in PDF format and include the student’s name, home and school addresses, email address, and contact phone number.

– Double entries will result in automatic disqualification.

– Submissions must be received by March 15, 2024, at 5:00 p.m.

Notification of Winners:

– Successful students and schools will be contacted in the second quarter of the year.

– Updates on winners will be announced on @nercng social media platforms.

The SystemSpecs Children’s Day Essay Competition offers a unique opportunity for Nigerian students to demonstrate their creativity and problem-solving skills. By addressing the theme of online child protection, participants contribute to building a safer and more secure digital environment for all. We encourage eligible students to seize this opportunity and showcase their talent and ingenuity.