There seems shiny light at end of tunnel for proscribed RTEAN

By allcitynews.ng

There seems to be shiny light at the end of darkness for executives and members of Road Transport Employees Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) as leadership of the two Organised Labour centres included the issue among the demands to evert the planned nationwide strike strike over hardship in the land.

The representation of this demand followed the failure of first and second protests to yield expected results.

In June 2023, the move by leadership of RTEAN that stormed Lagos State Governor’s office in a peaceful protest march yielded no tangible results as like rock, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State refused to remove the seal.

In that peaceful protest with all executives and members of RTEAN and another independent Nigerian trade union that serves the interests of transport workers in the road transport, NURTW decided to confront the battle by embarking on street protests.

Having waited for almost three months without getting positive response, TUC and NLC again embarked on peaceful protest from under LASUTH Bridge Ikeja to Alausa and then channelled their protest letter through the Speaker, Lagos House of Assembly, Honourable Mudashiru
Obasa for onward transmission to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

Apparently perceiving that Mr Sanwo-Olu seemed not ready to yield to the first demands of June 1 protest, TUC President, Comrade Festus Osifo decided to lead the protest from under LASUTH (General Hospital) Bridge Ikeja Lagos, Nigeria, on Monday 25 September 2023.

Addressing journalists while at Allen Avenue junction during the peaceful march, Osifo stated that: “We are going to present letter of protest to Lagos State Government and Lagos State House of Assembly following the refusal of Lagos State Government to obey court order over lifting the prescription of RTEAN.

“If the state government still refused to yield after this second protest, then we shall know the next step to take until the state allow the union to functions because as licence union, the state government has no power to close it down.”

Demanding for release of RTEAN seized vehicles and opening of office, Osifo stated that Lagos State Government violated the rule of National Industrial Court by continued seizure of RTEAN property.

While presenting the letter of protest to Lagos State Governor, Mr Sanwo-Olu through the Speaker, Lagos House of Assembly, Osifo stressed: “We know that trade unionism is not in the concurrent list and so a state government does not have the power to proscribe a trade union. This is absolutely the responsibility of the federal government.

“We approached the industrial court for judgement and it was clearly stated that the Lagos State Government has no right to proscribe trade unions.

“We wrote a letter to the State Governor to open the office of RTEAN, which they forcefully took over and release their vehicles, which were seized by government officials, but I can tell you that the government is already using the vehicles.

Presenting the letter to the representative of Senator Obasa, Hon. Adedamola Kasunmu, representing Ikeja Constituency 2, Osifo stressed: “the reason for the letter is because he believed in the need to embrace dialogue. It is better and safer for our economic and social well-being.

“We know that trade unionism is not in the concurrent list and so a state government does not have the power to proscribe a trade union. This is absolutely the responsibility of the Federal Government.

“We approached the industrial court for judgement and it was clearly stated that the Lagos State Government has no right to proscribe trade unions.

“We wrote a letter to the State Governor to open the office of RTEAN, which they forcefully took over and release their vehicles, which were seized by government officials, but I can tell you that the government is already using the vehicles.”

In his response Kasunmu assured the readiness to present the letter saying:
“Our Lagos is your Lagos especially as Son of the soil is the President of Nigeria.

“We shall deliver your letter to Mr Speaker, as the yearning of the people is also our yearning in Lagos House of Assembly.”

Despite all these assurances, seven days after, Mr Sanwo-Olu did not yield to demands of Labour.

Surprisingly, in a swift reaction, the Governor who seemed to feign ignorance of the heat created by the cold war somehow expressed his willingness to address the needs of RTEAN and NLC when TUC and NLC glued the complain among the number of grievances that must be addressed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in order to avert the planned nationwide strike

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