The Lagos State Government has expressed its disapproval ahead of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) planned protest on Monday.
The protest is against the takeover of motor parks by the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) in the state.
In a statement released on Monday, Gbenga Omotoso, the State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, asserted that the planned demonstration would constitute a breach of the rule of law.
According to Omotoso, the state government has taken steps to challenge the National Industrial Court’s favourable judgment for RTEAN, including filing an appeal and seeking a stay of execution.
- “Therefore, the protest will be in breach of the Rule of Law, which expects both parties to maintain the status quo, pending the determination of the application for a stay of execution and appeal,” the statement said.
- “The planned protest is of no need and meant to arm-twist and intimidate the government, considering all the efforts being made to resolve the matter amicably,” the statement reads in part.
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The statement which had the header “LASG: NO NEED FOR TUC/RTEAN PROTEST” and signed by the State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, contained a firm warning against any form of demonstration from TUC.
It further reads,
- “The Lagos State Government has noted the plan by the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to protest the September 2022 suspension of the activities of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Lagos Chapter, in motor parks and garages in Lagos State due to violence and internal strife.
- “A 35-man Ad-hoc Caretaker Committee was constituted by the State Government to manage the State’s Parks and Garages under the control of RTEAN pending resolution of the internal dispute and to stop immediately the violence in some parts of the State – in line with the recommendations of the Y2004 White Paper on Transport Union Matters in the State.
- “Now, the TUC has scheduled a protest for September 24 to force a return of RTEAN to the parks, following a verdict of the National Industrial Court (NIC).
- “Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government has filed an appeal against this judgment and has a pending application for a stay of execution of the said judgment.
- “TUC/RTEAN should embrace dialogue. It is better and safer for our economic and social well-being.”
Backstory
Earlier, Nairametrics reported that The Trade Union Congress (TUC) threatened to embark on an indefinite strike and vowed to ground economic activities in Lagos State over the ban on the operations of its affiliate union, the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) by the state government.
It also directed its members to mobilize for a one-day protest on Monday in preparation for the withdrawal of service.
The National President of the TUC, Festus Osifo, made it known last Friday during a press briefing in Abuja that the forthcoming action will involve all TUC affiliate unions, including PENGASSAN and the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria.
Osifo said the Lagos state government had technically proscribed RTEAN in the state which led to taking over the motor parks and locked the office.
He said,
- “We are going to carry out a protest in Lagos once again on Monday, then after that protest, we would see when there is no solution in sight then, there is going to be a total shutdown in Lagos state because for us this is not acceptable.’’
