Lagos Assembly wants state parking authority to replace NURTW

Lagos State House of Assembly has backed the position of the state government of taking over the operation of the state parks following the crisis between the national leadership of the National Union of Road Transport Workers and Mr Musiliu Akinsanya popularly called MC Oluomo, leading the suspension of Oluomo as chairman of the state council of the union.

The Chairman of the state House Committee on Transportation, Temitope Adewale, said the assembly had been very proactive in enacting a law creating the Lagos State Parking Authority, which should now oversee activities at all the parks in the state.

“The House is fully aware of developments in the transportation union and now that the crisis has resulted in the banning of NURTW activities in Lagos, it is clear to state that all parks, garages and parking activities would be under the Lagos State Parking Authority as stipulated by law.”

“The state has to take charge of the situation to avoid a breakdown of law and order.”

The Lagos State Government has denied appointing MC Oluomo, suspended Lagos council chairman of the NURTW as general manager of the parks and garages management committee.

The purported appointment was disclosed by MC Oluomo’s son, King West, on Instagram.

Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, when contacted for confirmation, described it as a “fake report.”

Also reacting through his Twitter handle @gboyegaakosile, Chief Press Secretary to the state governor, Gboyega Akosile, said members of the public should disregard the report of the appointment, adding, “There is no such appointment.”

Meanwhile, Vice President of the NURTW, Alhaji Tajudeen Agbede, other past and present leaders of the union have supported the decision of MC Oluomo and members of the union in the state to withdraw their membership from the national body.

Alhaji Agbede accused the national secretariat of creating problems in the Lagos State council by meddling in its affairs.

“The constitution allows the state council to run the affairs of the state. It is the duty of the state secretary to give official monthly reports of activities of the state to the national secretariat. But under this regime, the President (Alhaji Tajudeen Baruwa) wants to know and oversee Lagos State. The president has no business about how inauguration of branches and zones is done,” he stated.

Agbede, who is the immediate past chairman of the Lagos State council of the NURTW, said the tricycles and motorcycles’ operators are under the state council.

Agbede said: “On the issue of Tricycle Owners and Operators Association of Nigeria (TOOAN), the state chairman has the right to divide the TOOAN of NURTW into zones. I did a similar thing during my tenure to Okada riders’ union called Motorcycle Operators Association of Lagos State (MOALS). When I came, it was one body under Comrade Tijani Pekis, but I divided it into zones without any interference from the national headquarters. It is within the powers of the state chairman to create, divide and expand to enhance administrative convenience.”