Simon Lalong, the Minister of Labour and Employment has called on the Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) factions to cease all activities until the conflict is settled amicably.

This was contained in a letter issued by the Minister’s Director of Trade Union Services and Industrial Relations, Emmanuel Igbinosun and sent to the National Chairman of the union in Abuja.

According to the letter, sighted by New Telegraph, the minister’s spokesperson said that the decision was made after a meeting with the NURTW leadership.

In the letter 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,’ seek the resolution of the union.

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 will 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,” the letter said.

Recently, 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 recently detained in Abuja by the police over the leadership crisis rocking the union.

Haruna Garba, the FCT Commissioner of Police, invited Baruwa to a meeting where the Agbede faction and Musiliu Akinsanya, alias MC Oluomo, the former head of the defunct Lagos Park Management Committee, were also present. (New Telegraph)

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