Benjamin Anthony, President AUPCTRE
There has been serious crisis arising from the tyrannical operation of the Registrar General of the Corporate Affairs Commission, Alhaji Garba Abubakar, and his management team. As a result, there has been maladministration and workers struggle between the management and the workers’ trade union, the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE).
In the recent past, management actions have included:
- taking unilateral decisions on so many policy issues which goes contrary to the provision of the Public Service Rules
- restricting staff promotions for certain categories of workers
- irregular payment and stoppage of staff salary unilaterally by the Registrar General
- vindictive disciplinary procedures and issuance of queries to staff by the Registrar General without due process
- introducing a reign of tyranny and dictatorship in the running of the Commission administration by oppressing, suppressing and subjugation of staff and union executives through, harassment and witch hunting
- banning of customers who have genuine business transactions from entering the premises of the Commission in Abuja and Lagos. This drastically reduced the revenue of the Commission and led to protests by some lawyers and customers at the Abuja offices.
AUPCTRE demands
The trade union operating in the Commission, AUPCTRE, in its patriotic moves to save the Commission from imminent collapse wrote a lot of letters over the vindictive disciplinary procedures which the Registrar General ignored. The trade union therefore demanded for the following:
- computer-based examinations for drivers should stop because drivers don’t have any basis for doing such examinations
- restorative justice should be given to victims of suppression of freedom of expression, vindictiveness and dictatorship
- all anti-staff and negative public policy decision should be reversed
- the Commission should harness its resources towards sustaining, diversifying and improving its services thereby generating more revenue to settle its obligations
- Management should conduct the affairs of the Commission according to the laid-down procedures and laws
- all promotion arrears should be paid to deserving members of staff of the Commission.
All the above demands of the Union are patriotic because the Corporate Affairs Commission is a strategic Government agency. The Union concerns itself not only with the welfare of its members, but also with the success and the survival of the Agency. The success of the Agency should benefit both Management and staff.
The Registrar General’s reaction
The Registrar General failed to accept the above demands of the Union. In fact, he went further and rolled out further anti-worker directives like the vindictive transfer of the trade union leaders at the Commission. Finally, he announced, at a briefing in Abuja, that AUPCTRE is no longer recognized by the Corporate Affairs Commission. He directed workers to join another appropriate union for senior staff. He also dissolved the AUPCTRE Executive at the Corporate Affairs Commission and implemented other anti-worker activities.
The implication of this directive is that it is the right of management to direct workers to contract in or out of a trade union. This is contrary to the Trade Unions Act as amended in 2005 which provides for voluntarism and section 40 of the Nigeria Constitution as well as the trade union structure provided in Part B, Third Schedule to the Trade Unions Act. From all indications, it is the capitalist tendencies of the Registrar General that are making him to be stiff-necked. This is despite a directive from the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment to maintain the status-quo and reverse all actions initiated against the Corporate Affairs Commission branch of the trade union, AUPCTRE.
Ideological Dimension to The Crisis
The ideological dimension to the crisis in the Corporate Affairs Commission can be viewed within the context of the class struggle between the capitalist state and the working class. From this point of view, the developments at the Corporate Affairs Commission are part of the measures taken by capital to subjugate labour.
Again, the class character of the administration in the Corporate Affairs Commission also plays a prominent role in the way the crisis in the Commission is developing.
AUPCTRE stands for social justice for the working class and the masses. That is why we have moved away from being just a Trade Union to a Labour Movement. AUPCTRE believes in the right of all workers to join the trade union of their choice and to organize effectively.
We also believe in social partnership. Management and staff, through their trade union should work together for the success of their organization. We will continue to work to ensure that this approach is re-introduced at the Corporate Affairs Commission.
