By Ebere Obinagwam
Tricycle Owners Association of Nigeria (TOAN) has cried out for help over the injustice that is being meted to them by the Lagos State government and other road transport unions in the state.
In a statement by the group’s acting chairman, Tunji Oyeniyi, he accused the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Tricycle Owners and Operators Association of Nigeria (TOOAN), Road Transport Employees Association and Tricycle Owners and Drivers Association of Lagos (TODAL) of making life unbearable for their members.
“Nigeria is a country under law but we are beginning to doubt if the high and mighty are subject to the law,” Oyeniyi said.
He said that his members have been having running battle with members of the NURTW because of their decision to operate independently.
“The tricycle owners association of Nigeria is a registered Trade Union Organisation by the registrar of Trade Union under form B of the trade Unions Act; Cap T. 14 of 2014 in January 2016; but despite our recognition the NURTW has refused us to operate in the state,” he said.
He said they’ve gone to court and a judgement was ruled in their favour by the National Industrial court, Ikoyi.
He said the court ruled that their organisation is the only umbrella body authorized by law to coordinate, monitor and regulate the activities of all Tricycle Workers nationwide.
“ It is important to state here that our registration was necessitated by the Lagos state government when it insisted about five years ago that CAMA or CAC registered body cannot work in the state because they are not authorised by the law to get involved in profit making at parks.
“This development was the reason we sought for our registration which we eventually got in January, 2016,” he said.
The group said that the other unions, spearheaded by NURTW in collaboration with some government officials, with the assistance of police and other security agencies have taken over all their parks and operational base in the state through forceful invasion, attacks,brutalization and several daily threats to lives of their members.
The group said that several efforts have been made to convince the state ministry of transportation and Ministry of Establishments and training to issue them a letter ofrecognition and approval earlier in January 13 2017, but later withdrawn by the ministry oftransportation within a period of three weeks without genuine reasons.
They are appealing to Governor Akinwumni Ambode to kindly wade into the injustice and investigate their present challenges caused by his representatives in the government and punish offenders accordingly.
The Trade union Congress (TUC) have also thrown their weight behind the Tricycle Owners Association of Nigeria, saying it was absurd that after getting registered as a union by the Registrar of Trade Unions in 2016 and having won their suits against NURTW and RTEAN, they are still not allowed to operate.
TUC said the Lagos State Government should concede to their voice of reason by checking the excesses of its officials, NURTW and RTEAN for disturbing the operations of Tricycle Owners Association of Nigeria.