Benue NURTW wants Governor Ortom to wade into union crisis

BENUE State executive council of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, has called on Governor Samuel Ortom as well as the national and state secretariat of the union to urgently intervene and stop further alleged interference into the affairs of the Makurdi branch of the union by the Makurdi Local Government Council Chairman.

The union in a letter of complaint signed by its Principal Assistance General Secretary, Comrade, Boga Abuul and a copy made available to The Guardian said the recent dissolution and setting up of a caretaker committee on July 29 by the Makurdi Local Government Chairman to manage the affairs of the union is not only illegal and provocative but against the labour laws of this country.

His action also negates the principle of natural justice and the rule of law which the present administration is not only known for but have sworn to defend and uphold,” Comrade Abuul added.

While intimating that the under labour laws and constitution of Nigeria, labour is on the exclusive list and only the Federal Government has the right to register, regulate the affairs of trade unions through out the country, noting that neither the state nor the local government has the legal right to interfere in the internal affairs of any trade union, talk-less of dissolving a legally and dully constituted an executive council of an organ of the union.

Abuul, who on behalf of the union said members will not recognize the purported caretaker committee set up by the local government chairman in the state, zonal and national secretariat however, called on members not to resort to any form of violence or lawlessness but to await further decisions on the matter.

We further demand that the Makurdi Local Government Caretaker Chairman be called to order and be directed to reverse his decision as well as announce same on Radio Benue to avoid crises in the local council and state in general.”