By Eberechi Obinagwam
Members of Trade Union Congress (TUC) on Monday gathered to protest over proscription of one of their affiliates, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) by the Lagos State government.
The peaceful protest started from Ikeja under the bridge, near LASUTH, to the National Assembly, Alausa, Lagos State with the inscription on their placards, “Rule of Law Must Take its Cause in Lagos” etc.
The purpose was to record their displeasure with some of the acts of the Lagos State government: Refusal to obey court orders. Returning their seized properties and opening of their facilities.
Explaining the problem that led to the protest, President of Trade Union Congress, TUC, Festus Osifo said the problem started sometime last year when the Lagos State government suspended RTEAN workers, invaded their office, took away their money up to millions and their vehicles, including vehicles belonging to TUC.
“That alone is fundamentally wrong, and criminality because they are using the seized vehicles in the street of Lagos state and are making money with it,” Osifo said.
“We would have hit the street then, but, then, we felt that the country was passing through a transition period. As a patriotic body we approached the National Industrial Court. And some time in April May, we got a verdict from the court that Lagos state government has no right to proscribe a trade Union that they should return those siezed vehicles and the facilities should be opened, But, instead of them to do that, at the end they said they have appealed.
“We want to ask, is the appeal same thing as Stay of Execution, we are not dullers. We have a lot of lawyers in the house. A notice of Appeal is not the same thing as a stay of execution. If you have filed notice of appeal until you get stay of execution you need to obey and you need to listen to the judgement that was given,” he added.
The Lagos State government had condemned the planned protest by TUC, RTEAN saying it is a breach of Law if carried out, and also an attempt to arm-twist and intimidate the government, considering all the efforts being made to resolve the matter amicably.
In response to this, Osifo said, the matter is in appeal, a notice of appeal is not the same as stay execution so what they have is just notice of appeal and not stay of execution. “I think they should be more intelligent than that,” he said.
Also, he explained that sometime in June, they did a mini protest to drive home their demand, but, the Lagos State government invited them for a meeting, had two meetings with them which they promised to resolve the matter in days, but, all attempts to press home their demands not to hit the street did not yield result.
Hence the reason, the NEC of the Trade Union mandated them to carry out the protest and series of actions to drive home their demands.
“We want to know why Lagos State government is encouraging criminality and stealing, because to us, we are a country that is led by the rule of law. Nigeria is not a Banana Republic,” he said.
He called on the State House of Assembly to follow through to ensure that this is resolved peacefully before it escalates and become a national issue.
The protesters were received by some lawmakers, led by the Deputy Majority leader of the State House, representing Ikeja Constituency 2, Hon. Adedamola Kasunmu, who assured them that their letter would be delivered to the Speaker and that would look into it.