…Sets up committee

By Adekola Afolabi

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As operations of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and the Road Transport Employers’ of Nigeria (RTEAN) in Ondo State have been suspended for two weeks due to leadership row the government has warned that anyone who violates the direction will face the consequences.
This will also allow a committee set up by the State Government wade into the leadership crisis within the unions.
The clarification was made yesterday by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Special Duties and Strategy, Dr. Doyin Odebowale during a meeting with the NURTW and RTEAN leaders at the Cocoa Conference Hall.
Odebowale said the State Government would not tolerate acts capable of degenerating to bloodshed.
He stated that the government through its Task Force would henceforth ensure total compliance with the reversal order to N50 per drop by taxi cabs in the state and that any violation will be dealt with.
While saying that the Ondo State Government ticket of N300 would be on sale for commercial motorists, the Committee Secretary advised leaders of the unions to reign-in their members whose stock in trade was to foment troubles always.
“Officials of the Union will be used for the collection of ticket, as the ticket will be collected in Ondo State Internal Revenue Service (ODIRS) by the leadership.
“Nobody will be allowed to attack anyone, no killing of union members will be allowed. Anyone who violates the rules and regulations by the State Government will face the consequences,” he said.
He further pleaded with NURTW and RTEAN to embrace peace, and give the Ondo State Government all necessary supports in resolving the issues in the Union.
Also, the Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee who is also the State Acting Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Ade Adetimehin told the unions to allow peace to reign in the state to avoid the wrath of the State Government.
He assured that every complaint would be looked into within two weeks and urged them to bring up their grievances as matured citizens within the law for their resolution and not to take laws into their hands.
Another member of the committee who is also the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Security, Alhaji Jimoh Dojumo also spoke on the need to give peace a chance to enable Governor Akeredolu concentrate on enlarging the frontiers of state development.
The Commissioner of Police , Mr Bolaji Salami represented by his Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Mr Mawedo James also attended the peace meeting
Meanwhile, the early morning and daylong check constituted by NURTW members which also hinders traffic flow on main roads in Akure and other parts of Ondo state was not noticed yesterday as members and leaders of the union complied with government directive suspending their activities.
The Hope gathered that there is a relative calmness across the state as commercial drivers and their leadership obeyed the government’s directive.
One of the taxi drivers in Akure who doesn’t want his name in the print said the development came with mixed feelings as some of them were already used to N100 per drop.
He however said the directive of N50 was being complied with but long distance would attract higher fare.
Some of the commercial drivers, who were also seen in front of governor’s office this morning expecting the governor to address them, expressed mixed feelings on the suspension of their Union’s activities.