Governor Akeredolu of Ondo State has banned activities of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, (NURTW) and the Road Transport Employers’ Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) from all motor parks in the state.
The State government had earlier warned both unions to stop collecting dues and levies from commercial drivers in the state.
Ondo State Governor, who spoke through his Senior Special Assistant on Special Duties and Strategy, Dr Doyin Odebowale, said the ban of the driver unions’ activities was due to leadership tussles
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He said new tickets would be sold directly by government officials and urged commercial drivers to revert to the old price of N50 per drop.
However, in a related story, the Federal Government has approved N10 billion as a palliative for transport workers and operators. Minister of State for Transportation Senate Gbemisola Saraki said the fund would help cushion the sufferings encountered by road transport workers and operators as a result of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
She also noted that the fund is currently domiciled with the Federal Ministry of Trade, Industry and Investment, adding that her ministry is working on the modalities for its disbursement.
The minister spoke when the President of Public Transport Owners of Nigeria Association (PTONA), Isaac Uhunwagho, an engineer and the association’s National Executive Committee and Trustees visited him in Abuja.
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According to a statement issued by the ministry’s Director of Press, Eric Ojiekwe, Saraki stated that 90 percent of Nigerians travel by road, adding that the Federal Government would soon initiate a master plan that would reform the sector.
On the challenges operators face from state governments and other stakeholders, she assured that she would discuss the issues through the National Transport Commissioners’ Forum.
The minister also revealed that she is in talks with the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing on the concession of some routes with the aim of increasing the government’s revenue.
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