By Adekunle Williams
The Trade Union Congress (TUC) besieged the Lagos State House of Assembly on Monday, urging Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to reinstate the disbanded state chapter of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN).
Its National President, Mr Festus Osifo, led more than 100 members of the RTEAN to the assembly complex to register their grievance over the disbandment of the state chapter by the state government.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the protest followed government’s takeover of motor parks in the state from the association.
Lagos State government had earlier suspended the operations of the RTEAN at the parks and constituted a 35-man caretaker committee to take over the operations of the union.
The National Industrial Court of Nigeria earlier ordered the reinstatement of the operations of the RTEAN at the parks, nullifying the state government’s appointment of the caretaker committee.
Lagos State government had also expressed its disapproval ahead of the TUC’s Monday protest.
Commissioner for Information, Mr Gbenga Omotosho, in a statement on Monday, asserted that the planned demonstration would constitute a breach of the rule of law.
At the assembly complex, Osifo appealed to Gov. Sanwo-Olu to abide by the court’s judgment and reinstate the union to the parks.
He alleged that the state government had forcibly gone to the RTEAN office to remove documents binding the body and the state government.
“The state government created the Road Transport Employers Association as an affiliate of the TUC and they had a pact.
“Now the same Lagos State government is trying to disband the body.
“It has forcefully gone to the RTEAN office to remove documents binding the body and the state government.
“The state government has taken the cars given to the body and went away with the property in the office of RTEAN,’’ he alleged.
In his remarks, Mr Nuhu Toro, TUC Secretary-General, lamented that the state government promised workers some fuel subsidy removal palliatives but had not delivered on the promise.
Toro urged the state government to live up to its words and to keep up with its promises.
Addressing the protesters, Deputy Majority Leader of the assembly, Mr Adedamola Kasunmu (APC-Ikeja II), who received the union, commended the leadership over the peaceful protest.
Kasunmu assured the union that its grievances would be forwarded to the speaker and that a decision would be taken soon.
“The speaker is a proactive and efficient leader and he will definitely do justice to the letter you have presented.
“When we sit at the plenary session, your letter will be presented and I assure you that you will hear from the state government soon,’’ he assured the protesters.
The lawmaker urged the protesters to return peacefully and await a response from the assembly. (NAN)
