Section 7: Interpretation

(1)
In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires-
"association" means any body of persons, by whatever name called, associated for a common purpose, but does not include a trade union;
"essential service" means-
(a) the public service of the Federation or of a State which shall for the purposes of this Act include service, in a civil capacity, of persons employed in the armed forces of the Federation or any part thereof and also of persons employed in an industry or undertaking (corporate or unincorporate) which deals or is connected with the manufacture or production of materials for use in the armed forces of the Federation or any part thereof;
(b)
any service established, provided or maintained by the Government of the Federation or of a State, by a local government council or any municipal or statutory authority, or by private enterprise-
(i) for, or in connection with, the supply of electricity, power or water, or of fuel of any kind;
(ii) for, or in connection with, sound broadcasting or postal, telegraphic, cable, wireless or telephonic communications;
(iii) for maintaining ports, harbours, docks or aerodromes, of for, or in connection with, transportation of person, goods or livestock by road, rail, sea, river or air;
(iv) for, or in connection with, the burial of the dead, hospitals, the treatment of the sick, the prevention of disease, or any of the following public health matters, namely, sanitation, road-cleansing and the disposal
of night-soil and rubbish;
(v) for dealing with outbreaks of fire;
(vi) for or in connection with teaching or the provIsion of educational services at primary, secondary or tertiary institutions;
(c)
service in any capacity in any of the following organisations-
(i) !he Central bank of Nigeria;
(ii) !he Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company Lintited;
(iii) any body corporate licensed to carry on banking business under the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act;
"official" in relation to a trade union or an association means any person holding an official position in that trade union or association and accordingly includes in particular any president, secretary or treasurer thereof and every member of its committee of management however described;
''proscribed organisation" means any trade union or association in respect of which an order has been made under section 1 of this Act.
(2) Subject to subsection (1) of this section, expressions used in this Act have the same meaning as in the Trade Disputes Act.