Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has banned the leadership of the National Road Transport Workers, NURTW, in the state from resuming collection of dues and revenues on behalf of the government at the motor parks and garages in the state.

The governor had suspended the NURTW activities following internal wrangling within the ranks of the union over the leadership positions.

The leadership crisis, however, has been laid to rest with the taking over and re-opening of the union Secretariat in Asero, Abeokuta, last year, under the chairmanship of Mustapha Ismail.

But, Abiodun in a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Abdulwaheed Odusile, on Sunday, warned the leadership of the NURTW and their operatives to stay away from all parks and garages in the state to avoid incurring the full wrath of the law.

According to him, the warning became necessary in view of intelligence reports by the security agencies that the union is planning to resume collection of dues and revenues on behalf of the government at the motor parks and garages in the state.

The governor said the resumption is “against the existing decision of the government banning the activities of the NURTW in all the motor parks and garages in the State.”

“It will be recalled that following crisis in the leadership of the NURTW in the State that threatened security of lives and properties, particularly public transport in the State, the House of Assembly in June 2020 passed a resolution suspending the activities of the union in the State.

“The government subsequently banned the activities of the union in all motor parks and garages in the State,” Odusile quoted the governor as saying.

The governor said security agencies have been ordered to arrest and prosecute any NURTW members that go against the warning.

“Security agencies have been given firm directive to arrest and prosecute any operative of the NURTW or indeed anyone, group or association that has not been approved by the government to act on its behalf that attempts to defy the decision of the government or test its resolve to maintain peace and security in all parts of the state, including the motor parks.

“Unlike what obtained in the past, this Administration has been methodical and deliberate in its approach to maintain peace at the motor parks as well as management of transport union activities, and will not allow anyone to undermine the prevailing peaceful environment”, he said.

PUNCH