•They’re not proscribed —State govt

By Dayo Johnson

THE National Road Transport Workers, NURTW, in Ondo State, yesterday, tackled the state government for suspending their activities and inaugurating a Parks Management Committee to oversee the affairs of the union across the state. 

Consequently, the leadership of the union scheduled Monday, April 3, for a peaceful protest.

The NURTW, in a letter to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu by its Director of Legal Service, Mr. Femi Ariyo, condemned the attacks by members of the Parks Management Committee in the state against union members.

Ariyo said the peaceful protest became necessary, following alleged threat to life, assault, harassment, intimidation and suspension of its members from parks in the state, saying the state office of the union had been closed by the state government. 

The letter reads: “Investigation from the Caretaker Committee of the NURTW union revealed that the Ondo State government disallowed the union from electing legitimate executives to pilot the affairs of the union in the state since October 17 2022, due to personal interest. 

“A Park management Committee has been inaugurated by Ondo state government to oversee the affairs of NURTW in the state, the act that run contrary to the constitution of the union. 

“The NURTW being a registered union under the Federal Government of Nigeria has not been allowed by Ondo State government to pilot its affairs independently. 

“The action of the state government on the issue of NURTW in the state needs urgent attention. Not that alone, the lives of the authentic inaugurated Committee of the union and their loyalist needed protection since they are law abiding citizens of Nigeria.”

They’re not proscribed —State govt 

When contacted, the Special Adviser to the governor on Transport, Mr Tobi Ogunleye, said the park managers were put in place to ensure that events in the union were not allowed to threaten law, order and peace in the state.

Ogunleye said: “The decision was taken in the best interest of the people of the state when the activities of the union are affecting the peace of the state. 

“Every park belongs to government and it is the responsibility of the government to manage these park and we have the power to determine those who to manage these park.”