Delta: NURTW Urges Arhiyor Mgt C’ttee On Public Motor Parks To Obey Court Judgment

The leadership of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, Delta State chapter, has urged the Management Committee on Motor Parks, otherwise called ‘Up Delta’, to respect the judgement of a Court of Competent Jurisdiction which has declared its existence null and void.

The State Chairman of the union, Chief Dennis Araro, who made the call on Friday at Umunede, in Ika North East, in an interview with our correspondent, expressed worry over the refusal of the Management Committee to leave the motor parks in conformance to the court judgement.

The NURTW Chairman, who spoke through the State Administrative Secretary of the union, Comrade Tony Igwubuike, said the State Government, ‘Up Delta’, the Police and other relevant authorities, had been served copies of the judgement and wondered why enforcement was being delayed.

Chief Araru stated that as a law abiding organisation, the National Union of Road Transport Workers would not engage in any act that could lead to a breakdown of law and order in the motor parks and urged the relevant authorities to call the Management Committee to order in the interest of peace.

He thanked the State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, for his sincerity in handling the situation in the motor parks since 2019 when the crisis started and assured of the continued support of the union for the State Government.

The Delta chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) had on July 17, 2020, filed a suit against the Commissioner for Transport, Delta State; the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Delta State; the Governor of Delta State; Chief (Comrade) Francis Arhiyor, for himself and on behalf of members of the Delta State Management Committee on Public Motor Parks and Land Transportation and the Commissioner of Police, Delta State, all referred to as 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Defendants.

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In the case, instituted at an Asaba High Court, the union sought seven Reliefs.

They included a declaration that having regards to the provisions of sections 2, 3, 7(1), 5, and 4th schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and sections 4(3) and 41(e) of the Delta State Local Governnent Law, 2013, the management of public motor parks is vested in the Local Governnent Council.

That having regards to the provisions of the Construction of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and the Delta State Local Governnent Law, 2013 cited above, the Delta State Management Committee on Public Motor Parks was not duly constituted and the 1st Defendant who set it up does not have the vires to so do.

That the 1st Defendant acted unconstitutionally, unlawfully and without jurisdiction in setting up or constituting the Delta State Management Committee on Public Motor Parks.

That the Delta State Management Committee on Public Motor Parks is unconstitutional, illegal, null and void.

That having regards to the provisions of section 40 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) section 15(1), 1st and 3rd schedules to the Trade Unions Act, CAP T14 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, the 1st, 4th and 5th Defendants cannot restrict the NURTW, Oshimili South ‘A’ branch, Asaba, from selling/issuing the Union’s tickets, collecting dues or dealing with its members, in line with the Union’s consititution and the Trade Unions Act.

That the 1st Defendant’s letter to the 5th Defendant dated 6th January, 2020, with Ref No DT/LTD/340/T4/1 and with the caption, ” introduction of the Chairman and members of the Delta State Management Committee on Public Transportation in Delta State” is unconstitutional, unlawful, null and void.

The Presiding Judge, Justice D. C. Maidoh, granted the Reliefs and ordered the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Defendants to dissolve the Delta State Management Committee on Public Motor Parks and to stop interfering with the activities of the Claimants (NURTW) including the selling/issuing of the union’s tickets and collection of dues from members of the union.