The Leadership of the National Union Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and the Ondo state government, are on a collision course over the suspension of their activities and the inauguration of a Park Management Committee to oversee the affairs of the union across the state.
National leadership of the union, has directed its members to take over the park in the state from this Monday in line with the judgement of the Court that empowered the union to reopen its closed Secretariat in the state.
But in a swift reaction, the state government has warned against planned breach of public peace by the union members whose operations have been suspended in the State.
The Apecial Adviser to the Governor on Security Affairs, Chief Adetunji Adeleye, said anyone caught fomenting trouble in any park within the State will be picked and treated like a common criminal.
But the President of the NURTW, Prof. Tajudeen Ibikunle Baruwa, who gave the directive asked members of the union in the state to resume to its park legitimately purchased by the union across the state without any fear.
Baruwa during the visit of the National leadership of the union to the state, frowned over the closure of the Secretariat of the union in the state and directed the members of take over the parks legitimately acquired by the union.
Represented by a National officers, Comrade Isa Ore, the President said it is no longer safe for members of the driver's union to operate by the road sides when they have parks legitimately purchased by the union across the state.
He called on all the warring factions within the union to shield their swords, urging them to make use of their Secretariat which had been closed since October, 2022, without any cause or reasons, saying the Court has granted the NURTW the right to reopen its secretariat at Igoba area of Akure, and freedom to operate within parks belonging to them across the state.
Baruwa urged members of the union to close ranks for the progress and development of the union saying, there is no meaningful development that can take place in an atmosphere of rancour.
While assuring all stakeholders especially the state government of it legitimate earnings, and said no party will be excluded in the scheme of things as everything has been structured to be a win win situation for all parties.
The NURTW president who explained clear that the union ticket will be sold for N200 in the state, said "it is the sole responsibility of the Federal government to print and distribute the Union's tickets throughout the federation at the rate of N4000 per booklet while the union only added N4000 to make it N8000.
"After selling the tickets, the union will return the initial N4000 to the federal government purse through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) while the added N4000 will be shared among the national, states and units
He therefore called for cooperation of all members, saying "we must no longer allow the fifth columnist to divide us for their selfish gains, we are one and we must remain one indivisible entity that we are know for. Let us be united, the more united we stand, the stronger we become. Enough of these divisive tendencies by our detractors"
But the state government maintained that "there is no going back on the position of government on Park Management in the state and said the union does not exist in the state and said security operatives will not hesitate to deal with anyone disrupting the peace in the state.
However, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Adeleye, said that"The Parks Management Committee was set up to oversee the activities of NURTW in view of the perennial crises occasioned by some of their activities which have become a threat to public peace and safety.
"It is shocking to note that some of the self-acclaimed Committee Members of the State NURTW forcefully opened the Igoba branch Office where any activity, to all intents and purposes, remain part of the operations suspended by Government.
"While arrests are yet to be made, Government cannot allow such brigandage to continue unchecked.
" It is thus in line with the avowed commitment of the current Administration under the able leadership of Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, to ensure protection of lives and property that proactive steps would be taken to forestall any further breakdown of law and order.
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"In view of this, security agencies have been put on the alert to arrest anyone parading himself as NURTW member in Motor Parks across the State.
Adeleye said " While we urge our people to go about their daily activities as usual, we will resist any attempt by any group, under any guise, to disrupt the fragile peace that we currently enjoy in the State. We shall do this with all vigor."
It will be recalled that the National body of the NURTW had challenged the decision of government in court through the Akure branch of Human Rights Defender, Active Success & Empowerment Initiative (ASEI) over the alleged closure of the state secretariat of the union and forceful taking over of some parks belonging to the union.
The court granted the union rights to reopen it Secretariat in Akure and freedom to operate within parks belonging to them across the state.
