21st June, 2011
Oyo State House of Assembly this afternoon commended the step taken by Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State on the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Oyo State chapter.
At their first sitting after the inauguration of the House two Fridays ago when the first female Speaker, Honourable Monsurat Sunmonu was elected, the lawmakers said Ajimobi took the right steps by banning the union’s activities in the in the state as well as setting up a judicial panel of enquiry to investigate the activities of the union in the state.
The two factions of the union clashed recently and it resulted in the loss of several lives and destruction of property worth millions of naira.
The governor acted swiftly by wielding the big stick last week Tuesday.Also, as a result of the crisis, the Oyo State Commissioner of Police Alhaji Adisa Baba Bolanta declared the two factional leaders of the union, Alhaji Lateef Akinsola alias Tokyo, the union’s authentic chairman, and Alhaji Mukaila Lamidi alias Auxiliary wanted.
The command has also pasted their pictures at all the police stations in the state and nooks and crannies of the state, while N1 million has placed on them for anyone that could provide information that will lead to their arrest.
In the motion moved by Honourable Ibrahim Bolomope, a member of Accord Party representing Egbeda State Constituency, and seconded by Ojo Bamidele Samson of PDP representing Saki-East/Atisbo Constituency, the lawmaker stressed that the problems created by NURTW were embarrassing and unfortunate.
While contributing to the motion before it was finally adopted by the entire lawmakers, the judicial panel set up by the governor and headed by Retired Justice John Olagoke Ige, was asked to be holistic in its approach on the issue.
The lawmakers wanted the panel not to limit its activities to short term solutions to the problem being created by the union but to come up with long-term solutions.
They also agreed that the state government should determine the ownership and control of motor parks in the state and that such control should be given legal backing.
The lawmakers also resolved that the motor parks in the state should be made to conform with similar parks elsewhere in terms of facilities and conveniences.
Acknowledging the concern of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) which lost one of its members, Muhammed Shenano, a 500-Level medical student of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria to the recent clash between factions of the NURTW in the state, the lawmakers appealed to the students to exercise patience and await the outcome of the report of the panel set up by the government.
By Gbenro Adesina/Ibadan