TOAN, NURTW feud: TUC absolves Akwa Ibom transport commissioner of racketeering
NLC Always Full of Propaganda, Their Demand Is Illegal – TUC Chairman
Ephraim Inyang-eyen warns NURTW Against Illegalities
The chairman of Trade Union Congress, Akwa Ibom State Council, Comrade Dominic Abang, and the chairman Tricycle Owners Association of Nigeria, TOAN have exonerated the Akwa Ibom State commissioner for transport, Chief Uno Etim Uno on the false allegation of using unauthorized agents and personal for revenue collection label against the commissioner by members of National Union of Road Transport Workers NURTW and published in a local tabloids in the state.
The publication which also alleged that the transport commissioner has also re-introduce ticketing on ticket free-days which were Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays for keke and mini buses was dismissed as false allegations fabricated by National Union of Road Transport Workers, Akwa Ibom chapter to attract attention of the governor.
Speaking, with journalists in the state, chairman of Tricycle Owners Association of Nigeria TOAN, Comrade Effiong Effiong exonerated his association from the false allegations against the State commissioner for transport, Chief Uno Etim Uno saying that the fabricated lie against the commissioner, was propagated by National Union of Road Transport Workers to attract the attention of the governor even upon their illegal demand.
He said all over the country there are only three recognized legal transport association body which are; the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Road Transport Employees Association of Nigeria (ROTEAN) and Tricycle Owners Association of Nigeria (TOAN) which are legal trade union in transport industry.
He said the problem that led to NURTW false allegation against the transport commissioner emanated when NURTW started selling tickets to tricycle riders in Ikot Ekpene, Etinan and four other local governments which led to protest to the commissioner for transport by tricycle owners association against the illegal sales of ticket to their members by NURTW He said they protested through a petition to the commissioner and the Ministry of Transport because tricycle owners are not members of NURTW.
The TOAN chairman continued that with the development, his union had written a petition to the Ministry of Transport complaining the illegal sales of tickets to their members, saying that after their complain, the ministry issued a regulatory template restricting NURTW and Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), to stop selling of tickets and collecting of levies from tricycles but asked them to concentrate sales of tickets on motor, vehicles and also be incharge of motor parks across the state while tickets for tricycles be controlled by tricycle owners association of Nigeria, TOAN, which other associations like KURA, TOAS and AKTA are under TOAN.
The Ministry cautioned NURTW against the illegal sales of tickets and collection of levies, and also warned them to resist from such act that only TOAN have the right to regulate the activities and sales of tickets to tricycles, so that the issue will not degenerate into a problem to cause unnecessary tension in the state.
The Akwa Ibom TOAN chairman, Comrade Effiong Effiong remarked that after the position of the Ministry of Transport on the issue, NURTW went and reported the issue to the Nigeria Labour Congress chairperson, Comrade Sunny James who called the commissioner on the issue and commissioner for Transport also tell the NLC chairperson that TOAN is the only legal and recognized body to regulate the activities and sales of tickets to tricycles.
He said it was after the commissioner had made the ministry position known and clear to NURTW and NLC chairperson, acknowledging them on different regulatory roles guiding the activities of different union bodies, advised them to stick by the roles of law regulating the activities of each union, that the NURTW went to the press and give false allegation against the commissioner.
The TOAN chairman said the NURTW, and his association, TOAN had also met with the chief of staff to the governor, Akparawa Ephraim Inyang-eyen on Tuesday 17, 2021 on the issue, that Inyang-eyen also re-affirmed the position of the commissioner for transport; emphasizing that motor related union which is NURTW and ROTEAN should concentrate on motor vehicles while TOAN concentrate on tricycles.
Comrade Effiong Effiong while advising NURTW and NLC chairperson to withdraw false allegations against the commissioner and also tender unreserved apology vowed that they will never allow any other union to issue tickets and collect revenue from tricycles to avoid double taxation.
Also speaking, the State Chairman, Trade Union Congress TUC, Comrade Dominic Abang, described the demand and the action of NURTW as illegal. He said that the Nigerian Labour Congress NLC, in Akwa Ibom is always full of propaganda adding that the demand made by Sunny James the chairperson of NLC and NURTW was uncalled for and illegal.
The state TUC chairman who also vowed not to allow any group, group of persons or association to disrupt and interrupt on the activities of TOAN which is an affiliate of TUC, let alone tempering with revenue, said he will follow the issue to the later to ensure that his affiliate union is not robbed of her right.
Meanwhile the office of chief of staff to the governor, Akparawa Ephraim Inyangeyen has confirmed that only tricycle owners association have the right to regulate the activities and sales of tickets to tricycle and warned NURTW to concentrate on motor vehicles alone and allow tricycles for TOAN as the rightful body to regulate tricycles activities in the state.
Efforts to get the NLC chairperson, Comrade Sunny James and the NURTW chairman to speak on the issue proved abortive as they refused to pick several calls put to them.
