The Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Osun State Chapter, has appointed Chief Kazeem Oyewale as the caretaker chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in the state following the leadership crisis that disrupted activities across motor parks.
The appointment was announced after an emergency meeting of the chairmen of the 30 Local Government Councils and Ife East Area Office, Modakeke, with leaders of transport unions, including the Road Transport Employees Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), motorcycle and tricycle unions.
The meeting followed Monday’s violent leadership crisis within the NURTW, which prompted the suspension of the union’s leadership and transport union activities across the state over security concerns.
In a communiqué issued on Wednesday, ALGON described the crisis as a major security threat to residents, particularly commuters who depend on public transportation for their daily activities.
The council chairmen reaffirmed that the suspension of the NURTW leadership would remain in force pending further review, explaining that the action was taken under their constitutional authority over the management of public motor parks as provided in Paragraph 1(e) of the Fourth Schedule to the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
To ensure the continued operation of transport services and prevent disruption of commercial activities, ALGON announced the constitution of caretaker management committees for the transport unions pending consultations with their national leaderships to facilitate the emergence of substantive state executives.
For the NURTW, Chief Kazeem Oyewale was named caretaker chairman, while Mutiu Ayinde and Luqman Ahmed were appointed secretary and treasurer, respectively.
Similarly, Rasheed Ayinde was appointed caretaker chairman of the Road Transport Employees Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), alongside Mufutau Adebisi as secretary and Wahab Maruf Dodo as treasurer.
For the motorcycle and tricycle unions, Ismaila Raimi emerged as caretaker chairman, with Adebayo Tajudeen serving as secretary and Tajudeen Akeem as treasurer.
ALGON directed that all properties belonging to the transport unions be handed over to the newly constituted caretaker committees and called on security agencies to ensure a peaceful and seamless transition.
The association also commended the Nigeria Police Force for its swift intervention in containing Monday’s crisis, which it said prevented bloodshed and restored normalcy to motor parks across the state.
ALGON urged transport workers, commuters and other stakeholders to cooperate with the new caretaker committees to ensure uninterrupted transport services across the 30 local government areas and Ife East Area Office.
It also appealed to security agencies to sustain surveillance at motor parks and garages to safeguard transport operators and commuters while efforts continue to resolve the leadership dispute.
The communiqué was jointly signed by ALGON Osun State Chairman, Hon. Samuel Idowu Abiodun; General Secretary, Hon. (Barr.) Olubisi Oladosu; and Public Relations Officer, Hon. Mufutau Adegbite.
Advertisement