NCC-DRC Offers To Mediate As Neutral Party In Ongoing Industrial Dispute Between FG & ASUU

*Says Dispute Well Within Its Scope And Expertise
*Offers The Aforesaid Services “Pro Bono Publico”

The Nigerian Chambers of Commerce Dispute Resolution Centre (NCC-DRC) has offered to mediate as neutral party in the ongoing industrial dispute between the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Academic Staff Uniom of Universities (ASUU), so as to broker peace and bring to conclusion of the dispute in question.

In a letter addressed to the H. E. President Muhammadu Buhari and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, signed by the Chairman Governing Council of the NCC-DRC, Chief Emeka J. P. Obegolu SAN, and sighted by TheNigeriaLawyer, the NCC-DRC notified the Presidency that it was a national dispute resolution centre of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) established with a core mandate of resolving commercial and other disputes using alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, and that the Centre has over the years also adopted as part of its mandate, the resolution of public interest disputes which would eventually culminate in the restoration of pre-dispute relationships.

According to the letter, it was the opinion of the NCC-DRC, that the dispute between FG and ASUU was within their scope and Expertise. “The industrial action undertaken by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) that has led to the protracted dispute between parties, falls within the scope and expertise of the NCC-DRC, being a dispute of grave public interest”, the letter read.

Thus in lieu of this, the NCC-DRC is desirous of assisting to bring to an end, the strike which has led to the stagnation of academic activities in public universities thereby affecting the development of human capital for a period of six months now.

Therefore, to achieve this, the Center offered its services to be a neutral party in the said. The letter read thus “NCC-DRC hereby proposes to offer its services, to mediate as a neutral party to broker peace and see to the final and conclusive end of the ongoing dispute between the Federal Government of Nigeria and Academic Staff Union of Universities, subject to the willingness and cooperation of both parties.”

Finally, the NCC-DRC noted that it was going to offer this service free for he public good. According to the Letter: “It is pertinent to mention here that the Nigerian Chambers of Commerce Dispute Resolution Centre offers the aforesaid services “Pro Bono Publico”.”

At the time of making this report, the Federal Government was yet to give an official reply.