BY OLA AJAYI
IBADAN— State Secretary of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, Oyo State Branch, Mr. Johnson Komolafe yesterday told the Commission of Enquiry investigating the mayhem between factions of the National Union of Road Transport Workers that the only way is for the state government not to interfere in affairs of the union.
While testifying before the Justice Olagoke Ige led panel yesterday, he said the union was an affiliate of the immediate past government in the state.
Komolafe said the drivers' union had attacked members of the RTEAN with cutlasses and guns and taken over their motor parks which they legally acquired.
He noted: "Members of the NURTW, as early as 5am stormed our motor parks and wounded some of our members. When we saw them coming, we had to run for our dear lives".
He stated further that NURTW which already had over 200 motor parks in the city still forcefully took over the eight parks owned by the RTEAN.
The RTEAN boss claimed that he reported many times to the police, SSS and other security agents but that, no action was taken to checkmate activities of the union.
He said that when he did not get positive response from the commissioner of police then, he had to report to the AIG zone 11 who allegedly ordered the CP to arrest the NURTW members but nothing was done.
He advised that all the parks including those of the RTEAN and NURTW to take control of the parks from both transport bodies.
Vanguard
l have once asked this "burning question", and l am asking it again, what is the usefulness of NURTW to the Nigeria transport industry?