Osun ALGON constitutes caretaker committees for transport unions amid NURTW crisis

By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo –

The Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Osun State chapter, has constituted caretaker management committees to oversee transport unions across the state following the suspension of the leadership of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) over the crisis rocking the union.

The decision was reached at an emergency meeting involving the chairmen of the 30 Local Government Councils and Ife East Area Office, Modakeke, as well as leaders of the NURTW, the Road Transport Employees Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), and the motorcycle and tricycle unions.

A communiqué jointly signed by ALGON Chairman, Hon. Samuel Idowu Abiodun, General Secretary, Hon. (Barr.) Olubisi Oladosu, and Public Relations Officer, Hon. Mufutau Adegbite, described the crisis within the NURTW as a security threat to residents who rely on public transportation across the state.

The association said the suspension of the NURTW leadership and transport union activities would remain in force pending further review, explaining that the action was taken in line with the councils’ constitutional responsibility over public motor parks under Paragraph 1(e) of the Fourth Schedule to the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

It said consultations with transport unions and other stakeholders led to the constitution of caretaker committees as a temporary measure to safeguard transport operators’ businesses and ensure uninterrupted public transport services.

“All the properties of the union should be handed over to the aforementioned people. We call on the security agencies to provide the necessary assistance to ensure a seamless handover and continue security surveillance at all motor parks and garages to ensure the safety of transport operators and commuters,” the communiqué stated.

Chief Kazeem Oyewale was named Chairman of the NURTW caretaker committee, with Mutiu Ayinde as Secretary and Luqman Ahmed as Treasurer. Rasheed Ayinde, Mufutau Adebisi and Wahab Maruf Dodo were appointed Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer respectively for RTEAN.

For the motorcycle and tricycle unions, Ismaila Raimi, Adebayo Tajudeen and Tajudeen Akeem were appointed Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer respectively, pending consultations with the national secretariats of the transport unions for the election of substantive state leaders.