Ogun Assembly Moves to End Transport Unions Crises in the State.

In its efforts to forestall the impending crisis between the transport unions in the state, Ogun State House of Assembly yesterday waded into the long-standing dispute between the transport unions operating in the state. The dispute, which borders majorly on which union controls the parks and garages in the state, has resulted into wanton destruction of lives and properties in the recent past among members of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and Road Transport Employer’s Association of Nigeria (TREAN). It will recalled that the two transport union in an agreement dated 26th April, 2006 and co-signed by leadership of the unions agreed on ‘one week work, one week rest’ policy in all the parks and garages in the state. It will also be recalled that the General Manager of Ogun States Parks and Garages Development Board, Alhaji Ola-Ayo Ogunsolu had, during the weekend sued for continuous peace and harmony among the members of the unions. The State House committee on transportation orders the two unions to maintain status-quo until it is done with the findings it has embarked upon concerning a petition it received from some aggrieved party of the RTEAN. The chairman of the house committee, Hon. Salmon Adeleke, during a meeting between the committee and the representatives of the unions informed that the summon was occasioned by the petition concerning the industrial parks in the state and the need for a sustainable solution to the crisis. It was gathered that the NURTW had, last week ordered the TREAN members to vacate the industrial parks in Ibese, Ewekoro local government and other areas of the state on the ground that it (NURTW) had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with industries and factories in the state. Presenting the case before the committee the state Secretary of the RTEAN, Alahji Yinka Osikoya informed that the purpose of the petition was to avoid crises and seek an amicable resolution to the lingering crises between the unions. Osikoya argued that despite the MoU between the two unions, the NURTW still went ahead to issue a quit notice to their members operating in Ibese and Ogere trailer parks of the state. Responding, the State Treasurer, Alhaji Luqman Ajuwon who spoke on behalf of the NURTW emphasized that the union, being a product of the law had signed a MoU with the leadership of Dangote Group of Company, which has its cement company in Ibese are of Ogun State adding that the RTEAN has no such understanding. “We are product of the law, and we will not do anything unlawful. We have signed an MoU with the leadership of Dangote Group of Companies all over the federation, and their drivers are registered member of our Union, so Roads has no such understanding and as such can’t query our authority” he stated He further explained that his union had gotten a court injunction from Federal High court sitting in Calabar, a copy of which he promised to make available to the committee, restraining RTEAN from operating within their domain. The house of Assembly has, however ordered all the concerned parties to submit all documents that will assist in thorough investigation into the truth of the matter promising to give a play level ground to all the parties. Rafiu Alarape, Ogun State.