By our Reporter
Mr. Simon Lalong, Minister of Labour and Employment has ordered suspension of all activities by the factions of the Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) pending an amicable resolution of the dispute.
In a letter signed by Mr. Emmanuel Igbinosun, Director of Trade Union Services and Industrial Relations, on behalf of the minister, and addressed to the National President of the union, Lalong said the decision followed the meeting it held with the NURTW executives.
The letter is titled, ‘Leadership Of The National Union Road Transport Workers (NURTW) And Industrial Coup D’état By The Former President Of The Union, Alh Najeem Usman Yasin And His Rampaging Illegal Militia-A Clarion Call For Intervention.’
The letter noted that both factions in the dispute were notified about the development.
The letter read, “Following the meeting held with you on the above subject, I am directed to inform you that, in line with the power conferred on the Honourable Minister of Labour by Section 5 of the Trade Dispute Act CAP T8 Law of Federation of Nigeria, 2004, the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment has apprehended this dispute.
“In view of the above, the Honourable Minister has directed the suspension of all further activities by the factions of the NURTW pending an amicable resolution of the dispute.
“For the avoidance of doubt, all activities in furtherance of the election of new executives and related to the day-to-day operations of the union are suspended henceforth.
“Further directives would be communicated to you on or before Friday 13th October 2023. This information has also been communicated to the other faction in the dispute.
“Please accept the assurances of the kind regards of the Honourable Minister.”
It could be recalled that a faction of the union led by Alhaji Tajudeen Agbede who came from Lagos State forcefully took over the National Secretariat of the union located at Garki 2 and dislodged the incumbent President, Alhaji Tajudeen Ibikunle Baruwa.
Baruwa and three other national officers of the union were later detained in Abuja by the police over the leadership crisis rocking the union.
Baruwa was invited to a meeting by the FCT Commissioner of Police, Haruna Garba, which was also attended by the faction of Agbede which is also with Musiliu Akinsanya, aka MC Oluomo, who was formerly leading the disbanded Lagos Park Management Committee.