Akeredolu: NURTW, RTEAN suspension only for two weeks

By Osagie Otabor, AkureOndo State Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has said the suspension of operations of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) was for two weeks in the first instance.He said the two weeks was to allow the unions meet and settle their differences, to avert bloodbath.The governor, however, said the meeting of the unions was secondary to him, as his primary concern was to protect citizens.Akeredolu, who spoke through his Special Adviser on Special Duties and Strategy, Dr. Doyin Odebowale, said he suspended NURTW and RTEAN operations at motor parks to avoid bloodletting.He said it was greed causing the fight as well as money sharing formula.The governor insisted that only the state government ticket printed by the Internal Revenue Services would be sold to commercial drivers for N300.Read Also: Akeredolu: There will be no abandoned projectHe warned that anybody caught selling any other ticket would be arrested and jailed.Said he: Nobody will be allowed to sell any other ticket under whatever guise in Ondo State.We are releasing our ticket and it is only our ticket that will be sold across the state. We will enforce it. We dont want to see anybody on the road to be collecting money. We will arrest and jail anybody who tries it. We cannot have two governments in Ondo State.The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Richard Olabode Olatunde, said the activities of RTEAN and NURTW were suspended following security reports suggesting an imminent clash between the two opposing factions in the unions over leadership tussle.He said the leaders of both unions have been directed to vacate motor parks for peace to reign.Commercial drivers in Akure expressed joy at the suspension of the activities.The drivers, who had reverted to N50 per drop, thanked the government for stopping collection of levies by the unions.A driver, who gave his name as Alaba, said the decision to suspend the unions was a good thing to restore peace to the state.Another driver, Olufemi Samson, said trouble started when the government introduced its N300 ticket.He said it was a good idea for the government to raise fund from the transportation sector, unlike the unions.
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