Tag: NURTW

  • BREAKING: Again, Ondo NURTW members clash, vandalise vehicles

    BREAKING: Again, Ondo NURTW members clash, vandalise vehicles

    There was pandemonium at Oja Oba Area of Akure, the capital of Ondo State on Tuesday morning as members of the state chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers engaged in free for all.

    This came barely 48 hours after the factional unionists fought at the Owode area of the state, causing injuries to many people.

    On Tuesday, it was gathered that the residents and traders in the popular Oba Adesida Road had to run for their lives while the business activities were paralysed when the armed unionists attacked each other.

    Some vehicles were also vandalised by the fighters.

    The cause of the fight was still unknown as of the time of filing this report.

    Details later…

  • Gov AbdulRazaq imposes curfew on Offa, Erin-Ile over clash

    Gov AbdulRazaq imposes curfew on Offa, Erin-Ile over clash

    One person was feared killed in a renewed clash between Offa and Erin-Ile communities in Offa and Oyun local governments of Kwara State.

    It was gathered that the hostilities between members of transport unions in the two councils, which began on Wednesday, escalated yesterday.

    Unconfirmed source said about five persons died in the clash.

    There was a report of gunshots and use of weapons during the fracas. The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) office in the area was reportedly set ablaze by hoodlums.

    It was also gathered that the crisis was between members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) over a space of land earlier declared as unity land between Offa and Erin-Ile communities.

    Sources said the government had disallowed transporters from using the land as a motor park over previous crises, which reportedly resulted in communal clashes in the past.

    It was gathered that the recent crisis was caused by members of the transport unions when they planned to operate a motor park on the land, resulting in attacks.

    The state government has imposed curfew on the two towns.

    In a statement, Governor AbdulRaman AbdulRazaq’s spokesman Rafiu Ajakaye said the curfew would be in force between 6pm and 8am until further notice.

  • NURTW blames A’Ibom Govt officials for proliferation of illegal parks

    NURTW blames A’Ibom Govt officials for proliferation of illegal parks

    The National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) have accused the Akwa Ibom State Government of compliancy in the proliferation of illegal motor parks across the state, increasingly putting the security of passengers at risk.
    This is even as anonymous sources have told newsmen that some officials of the state ministry of transport have been shielding those operating illegal parks in the state.
    Chairman of Itam Long Distance Park, Mr Austine Edet told newsmen yeaterday in Uyo that government lacked the political will to stop the activities of touts who operate the illegal parks scattered across the state particularly in Uyo, the state capital.
    Edet explained that they encourage drivers to pick passengers along the way and so abandon the approved government parks built by former Governor, Obong Victor Attah regretting that the five major parks within Uyo have been practically abandoned.
    “It is government that is responsible for the illegal parks in the state. When they make laws, it is not just making the laws but enforcing it.
    “In the year 2000, the former governor of the  state, Obong Victor Attah completed five parks in Uyo metropolis and sent Executive Bill to the State House of Assembly to ensure that nobody stays outside the government approved park to load vehicles.
    “The law was Cap 55, Vol. 3  2000. This law was to enable the transport union establish Anti Touting Miscellaneous Offences Task Force so that nobody stays outside the government park to load vehicles but up till now nothing has been done about it.” He said.
    Meanwhile some operators of the government approved parks in Uyo have also blamed officials of the Ministry of Transport and Solid Minerals for the  proliferation of the illegal parks.
    They lamented that it has contributed to the lack of passengers at the government parks and is responsible for the Ministry’s inability to clamp down on the illegal parks located along Aka, Oron, Abak and Ikot Ekpene roads.
    The sources who preferred to remain anonymous alleged that many of the Illegal parks made remittances to senior officials of the ministry who in turn “protect” them by their nonchalance in regulating the operation of parks in the state.
    They called on the state government to come to the aid of drivers and vehicle operators who have been patronizing the government approved motor parks as the activities of the Illegal parks is impacting negatively on their patronage in the legal parks and pose a threat to the security of passengers.
    Efforts to reach the Commissioner of Transport and Solid Minerals, Mr Etim Uno, to react to the allegations was not successful even after a letter for a scheduled meeting was sent to the Commissioner on his request to that effect.
    However, the Akwa Ibom State Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mr Oga Ochi, said the government frowns at the non usage of the designated motor parks.
    Ochi explained that he had met with the State House of Assembly Committee on Works and Transport on the matter, and they had directed the FRSC to work with the relevant agencies to remove illegal motor parks from the state.
    The Sector Commander said the proliferation of motor parks was not healthy as it posed a security challenge to security agencies as it would be impossible for them to monitor the influx of people in and out of the state and render help where necessary.
  • BREAKING: Gov Akeredolu bans NURTW, RTEAN in Ondo

    Ondo Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has banned activities of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, (NURTW) and the Road Transport Employers’ Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) from all motor parks in the state.

    Both unions were warned to stop collecting dues and levies from commercial drivers in the state.

    Akeredolu, who spoke through his Senior Special Assistant on Special Duties and Strategy, Dr Doyin Odebowale, said the ban of the driver unions’ activities was due to leadership tussles

    He said new tickets would be sold directly by government officials and urged commercial drivers to revert to the old price of N50 per drop.

    Details shortly…

  • Seven Killed, Many Injured As NURTW Leadership clashes in Ebonyi

    Seven Killed, Many Injured As NURTW Leadership clashes in Ebonyi

    At least seven persons have been killed while many were seriously injured as members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers clashed in Effin, Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

    Though details of what led to the clash were still sketchy at the time of filing this report, a source in the community said the clash is an escalation of a leadership crisis in the union.

    The source said the faction of the union from Effin clashed with the faction from Ezza Effium over sharing formula for the revenue generated from the park.

    He said the clashes spiked into the community leading to casualties on both sides.

    Houses, cars and other properties were also torched as the crisis spilled over into the community.

    There was pandemonium in the community as the crisis escalated with many deserting the community to neighbouring communities.

    Also, health workers and staff of the National Population Commission who were on assignment in the area were cut in the crossfire.

    Following the incident, Ebonyi State Government announced a ban on activities of the Union in Effuim Motor Park in Ohaukwu Local Government Area.

    The Commissioner for Internal Security and Conflict Resolution in the state, Mr. Stanley Okoro Emegha, announced the ban in Abakaliki, yesterday.

    Emegha said the clashes engulfed the entire Effuim and Ezza Effusion communities because the Chairman of National Union of Road Transport Workers in the area allowed politicians to meddle into the affairs of the union.

    He said that Ohaukwu Local Government authorities would be mandated to take over the park where the incident emanated from.

    “It was not something that happened on the grounds of IPOB, neither was it a politically related matter; it was a national transport union case dragging the leadership of a motor park.

    “It has been a matter I handled earlier before this time directing that National Union of Road Transport Workers is an organisation recognised by the federal government but has no right in our motor park because we discovered that what they were doing was not in tandem with the peace effort of the state government”, he said

    The commissioner said all government personnel on special national assignments in the community, who were trapped by the crisis, had been rescued while the area was calm, following the deployment of security men.

    “All the people trapped in the area, not only health personnel, but also staff of the National Population Commission, were safely evacuated. My office deployed security and vehicles on the directive of the governor and all of them were rescued. No scratch on them and the place is calm now.”

    Emegha said when he contacted the State Chairman of the union, he claimed to be out of the state and wondered why he should be absent from the state when his union was in crisis.

    He warned that the government would bring to book all the politicians, whether serving in the government or in the opposition party, who played a role in sparking up the crisis.

    Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Aliyu Garba, said over nine persons were critically injured and receiving treatment at the hospital.

    He said some suspects had also been arrested while investigation continues into the matter.

    “Actually, it was my first litmus, but like I told you, normalcy has been restored; we have lots of them that have been arrested and investigations are ongoing.”

    Aliyu, who visited the scene, said normalcy had been restored as police operatives and personnel from sister agencies have been moved into the community.

    It was also gathered that Governor David Umahi dispatched the Deputy Governor, Dr. Kelechi Igwe, who visited the area to calm the situation.

  • NURTW seeks disbursement of FG’s N10bn COVID-19 palliative

    NURTW seeks disbursement of FG’s N10bn COVID-19 palliative

    The National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) has called for immediate the disbursement of the Federal Government’s N10 billion COVID-19 palliative for transport operators.
    NURTW National President, Prof. Tajudeen Baruwa, made the call in an interview Wednesday in Abuja

    .He commended the federal government for making such provision for transport operators in the country, saying that its essence would be defeated if not timely disbursed. “During the lock-down occasioned by the outbreak of Coronavirus, workers in both federal and state services received their salaries, our members were subjected to extreme hardship. “It is of utmost importance that palliatives be extended to our members, this will help to ameliorate the hardship and resultant effects of the disease on them,” he said.

    Baruwa said it was the demand of the union that 70 per cent of the fund be allocated to it because of the size of its membership.
    He stated that the union had presented its demand before the ministerial committee in charge of disbursing the fund. “They have agreed to make the necessary recommendations, we are hoping to hear from them, we have not received anything from the government as palliative,” he said.
    The NURTW president further urged the Federal Government to understand the plight of transport operators and act speedily.
    Reports had it that a committee for the disbursement of the N10 billion palliatives approved for transportation sector operators by the federal government was set up on Sept. 10.

  • Untitled post 26673

    Chairman of the Lagos State Chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Musiliu Akinsanya aka Mc-Oluomo, has said that the union is providing sanitizers at motor parks across the state to prevent any probable spread of the novel Coronavirus disease in the state.

    Mc-Oluomo made this known on Thursday during a visit by the state ministry of health and strategy team to his office in Oko Oba area of the state.

    He said, “In a bid to stop the ravaging Coronavirus, the union is contributing its quota by making hand sanitizers available at our parks.

    “As we are aware, our members interact with different kinds of people at motor parks and this makes them vulnerable to infectious disease.

    “We will also be holding an enlightenment campaign amongst our members to create awareness about the virus.”

    The NURTW boss urged commercial drivers to maintain personal hygiene and cultivate regular handwashing habit.

  • Lagos Okada/Keke ban: NURTW cautions commercial bus drivers against fares’ hike

    Lagos Okada/Keke ban: NURTW cautions commercial bus drivers against fares’ hike

    The National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Lagos State Chapter, on Monday cautioned commercial bus drivers against hike in fares over the ban and restriction of motorcycles and tricycles’ operations in the state.

    The state Chairman of the NURTW, Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, gave the caution in a statement in Lagos.

    Akinsanya said that the warning became imperative following complaints from members of public, alleging commercial drivers of taking advantage of the ban to inflict more pains on the commuters.

    The NURTW boss said that no commercial driver should inflate the fares so as not to multiply the pains of commuters in the state.

    He warned that anyone caught in the act would be dealt with in line with the rules and regulations of the union.

    Akinsanya directed that all the branch chairmen of the union should monitor the fares and ensure that the commercial bus drivers did not worsen the plight of the people.

    According to him, members of the union should not extort people as a result of the ban of motorcycle and tricycle operations in some parts of the metropolis.

    He said that the leadership of the union had been making moves to resolve the issue of the motorcycles and tricycles’ ban with the Lagos State Government.

    “The union is also working assiduously with investors to inject more buses and increase the number of commercial vehicles in the metropolis to ease the hardship faced as a result of the ban.

    “We advise both the commercial drivers and Tricycle Owners Association of Nigeria (TOAN) and Motorcycle Operators Association of Lagos (MOALS) to be patient and cooperate with Lagos State Traffic Management Authority officials, obey traffic law.

    “It’s an offence to drive on BRT lanes or drive against traffic. Obey the traffic laws and regulations, comport yourself orderly,” the NURTW chairman said.

    The state government on Feb. 1, commenced enforcement of the extant Transport Sector Reform Law 2018 banning operations of motorcycles and tricycles in some LGAs and LCDAs and restricted them from some highways, bridges and roads. (NAN)