NURTW defies govt’s suspension, sets up caretaker committee in Lagos

Despite the suspension of its activities in Lagos State by the government, the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) has set up a nine-man caretaker committee to coordinate operations of the union across the state.

This followed the dissolution of the State Administrative Council (SAC) in the state headed by Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya popularly known as MC Oluomo.

The dissolution of MC Oluomo’s exco was the climax of the intractable crisis between the national executive of the union and the state branch.

Prior to the dissolution of Oluomo’s administrative council on April 5, the state government had banned the activities of the NURTW at parks and vowed to set up a park management committee which it later did and made Oluomo the chairman.

But the NURTW appeared undeterred as it has constituted a caretaker committee led by Fatai Adeshina.

The NURTW in a letter to the governor said the decision to urgently constitute committee was to prevent any vacuum in the administration of the union’s activities and to ensure members continuously support the government’s master plan for transport development in Lagos.

According to the union, the nine-man caretaker committee would be led by Adeshina, a stakeholder in the transportation sector, and the committee will operate for next three months as stipulated in the union’s constitution.

Other members of the committee are Sunday Yusuf, Abraham Onifade, Jamiu Erinfolami, Ismaila Ojora, Lekan Ariyibi, Murtala Lawal, Taiwo Azeez and Kayode Agbeyangi, who will serve as the secretary.

The appointees’ names were contained in a letter signed by the National President of the NURTW, Tajudeen Baruwa, as well as the General Secretary, Kabiru Ado-Yau.

The letter dated April 14th, read in part  “In order not to allow the vacuum created to be affected by outside influences, the National Secretariat deemed it necessary to now set up a caretaker committee to replace the dissolved SAC, sequel to which a nine-member caretaker committee is hereby constituted to take charge of the affairs of the State Council for the next three months.

“The terms of reference of the committee include: to take over the administration of the state secretariat of the union; invite the state chairman, treasurer and any other SAC member so that any officer in possession of union’s funds or properties hand over to the committee.

“The committee was also asked to take control of all saleable items of the union such as union receipts, membership cards, among others.”