In response to the ongoing leadership dispute within the Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, has issued a directive to suspend all activities carried out by the factions involved until a peaceful resolution can be reached.
The decision was conveyed in a letter signed by Mr. Emmanuel Igbinosun, Director of Trade Union Services and Industrial Relations, on behalf of the minister. The letter was addressed to the National President of the NURTW.
The letter, titled ‘Leadership Of The National Union Road Transport Workers (NURTW) And Industrial Coup D’état By The Former President Of The Union, Alh Najeem Usman Yasin And His Rampaging Illegal Militia-A Clarion Call For Intervention,’ emphasized that both factions embroiled in the dispute had been duly informed of this decision.
The letter from the Minister of Labour stated,
“Following the meeting held with you on the above subject, I am directed to inform you that, in line with the power conferred on the Honourable Minister of Labour by Section 5 of the Trade Dispute Act CAP T8 Law of Federation of Nigeria, 2004, the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment has apprehended this dispute.”
“In view of the above, the Honourable Minister has directed the suspension of all further activities by the factions of the NURTW pending an amicable resolution of the dispute. For the avoidance of doubt, all activities in furtherance of the election of new executives and related to the day-to-day operations of the union are suspended henceforth. Further directives would be communicated to you on or before Friday 13th October 2023. This information has also been communicated to the other faction in the dispute.”
The move comes amidst recent developments where a faction led by Alhaji Tajudeen Agbede, hailing from Lagos State, forcefully took control of the National Secretariat of the NURTW, displacing the incumbent President, Alhaji Tajudeen Ibikunle Baruwa. Baruwa and three other national officers of the union were detained in Abuja by the police due to the leadership crisis.
This dispute has also attracted attention due to the involvement of Musiliu Akinsanya, aka MC Oluomo, who previously led the disbanded Lagos Park Management Committee and is known as an ally of President Bola Tinubu.
In a recent incident earlier this month, a man in Abuja was assaulted by union members loyal to MC Oluomo after he was accused of carrying passengers. The altercation escalated into violence, with the victim being severely beaten until bystanders intervened to rescue him from further harm.
| Sahara Reporters
