The Northern Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has called on the national leadership of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) to mediate the lingering industrial dispute between its WAEC branch and the management of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).
In a statement issued by its National President, Isah Abubakar, the council expressed concern over the prolonged breakdown in industrial relations within WAEC and urged the national leadership of NASU to adopt a more conciliatory approach capable of restoring peace and stability in the examination body.
While acknowledging NASU’s longstanding role in protecting the interests of its members, the council said the union should balance that responsibility with the broader objective of promoting industrial harmony and institutional stability.
According to the statement, the council’s intervention followed a petition from a concerned Nigerian who questioned the role of NASU headquarters in the dispute between the union’s WAEC branch and the management of the examination body.
It added that the petition alleged that some stakeholders perceived the union’s interventions as lacking neutrality, prompting the council to review issues raised in NASU’s correspondence with WAEC management.
The group maintained that the establishment of investigative committees is fundamentally a management responsibility intended to ensure objective fact-finding rather than serve as a disciplinary measure.
It also expressed reservations over the inclusion of the reduction in the duration of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) among NASU’s demands, noting that the examination timetable is determined at the regional level by member countries.
The NYCN questioned the relevance of retaining the issue after the successful completion of the examination.
On allegations of indiscriminate recruitment of contract examination officers and assistant examination officers, the council called for an objective assessment of recruitment exercises conducted over the past decade to determine whether the concerns reflected genuine institutional irregularities or were influenced by factors unrelated to established procedures.
The council further urged NASU headquarters to critically examine other issues raised by its WAEC branch, including allegations of incessant dismissals, disproportionate sanctions, attempts to weaken the union, implementation of the minimum net pay balance policy and the suspension of staff upgrade programmes.
According to NYCN, the national leadership of NASU is better placed to determine whether disciplinary actions taken by WAEC management resulted from violations of established regulations or amounted to unfair labour practices.
The NYCN appealed to NASU headquarters to initiate a mediation process aimed at rebuilding trust between its WAEC branch and the management of the examination body.
It said constructive dialogue founded on mutual understanding and cooperation would better serve the interests of workers, management and the institution than a prolonged industrial confrontation.
The council also urged NASU headquarters to reflect on public perceptions surrounding its involvement in the dispute and reaffirm its commitment to promoting industrial harmony, organisational development and the long-term stability of WAEC Nigeria.
