The Lagos State Government has warned the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) and the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Amuwo Odofin division, that their operations will be suspended if any clash occurs again.
According to a statement on Tuesday, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Mr Oluwatoyin Fayinka, said this at a meeting with both parties, adding that the government would deal with the case of levies on trucks by both unions.
He said, “In response to the violence that marred the Mile 2 and Amuwo Odofin areas between the RTEAN and NURTW, the Lagos State Government has declared that any more clashes will attract a suspension of their operations.
“There is room for improvement and we will improve. Because of the rivalry, we had mediated between both parties on many occasions hence; we are going to solve this at the roots. We will do our job as the government and proceed to deal with this as soon as the Nigerian police present the report of the crisis; the problem of multiple levies on truckers by the unions in the areas triggered the dispute.”
The Vice Chairman, RTEAN, Mr Adeola Adeyemi, said “The NURTW had breached the agreement earlier signed by both parties. Their violent insistence on selling ticket suspended by the Lagos State Government to truckers registered under RTEAN caused the death of three members last week.”
The Branch Secretary, NURTW, Amuwo division, Adewale Adeyemi stated that the Council of Maritime Transport Union and Association was responsible for the evacuation in the area which ignited the crisis, adding that they went to dislodge the violators of the agreement and the violators were handed over to the police.
