Court Judgement: RTEAN appoints acting chairman for Lagos parks, garages

The Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) has appointed its National Deputy Chairman Admin, Aransiolpa Kudus as the acting Chairman of RTEAN in Lagos following the National Industrial Court judgement which nullified the Lagos State government’s appointment of a Caretaker Committee, known as Parks and Garages Administrators.

Recall that the Lagos State government had dissolved RTEAN, suspended its operations and taken over the garages.

In a swift action, RTEAN dragged the government to court in October 2022, over the dissolution of the elected Executive Committee of the union in the state, and the appointment of a caretaker body, known as the Parks and Garages Administrators.

Delivering the judgment, trial judge, Justice Maureen Esowe, held that the act of the Lagos State in suspending the National union’s operations in the state and setting up a caretaker committee was illegal and against the provisions of Sections 4 (1), (2)& (3), and 5 (1) &(3), read along with item 34 of the exclusive legislative list, of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

RTEAN in a statement on Friday by its General Secretary, Yusuf Ibrahim Adeniyi, explained that all parties, especially the defendants are expected to comply with the judgement of the National Industrial Court.

He said: “RTEAN being a registered Trade Union established under Decree 21 & 22 of 1978 as amended by Decree 1 of 1999 constitution under the senior staff and employers Association as well as the Trade Union Act CAP T14 laws of the federation 2004 which falls under the exclusive legislative list of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended, has the power to operate all over the country, Lagos State inclusive.

“RTEAN also has the power to protect the interest of its members who are the owners of all categories of commercial vehicles operating in Nigeria, charged with the responsibility to control and supervise the activities of loading and offloading of goods and services, wipe out touting and all forms of thuggery and hooliganism in motor parks and bus stops in cooperation with law enforcement agencies as well as to do all that is humanly possible to enhance the prestige and smooth progress of the road transport industry in all shapes and forms.

“The National Industrial Court delivered its judgement on April 18, 2023, nullifying the action of the Lagos State Government and held that we had the right to operate in Lagos state and dissolved the committee set up by the Lagos State Government to take over our offices and loading points while directing them to vacate our offices immediately and allow the Executive Committee of our union to continue to occupy their office.

“The court further restrained the Executive Governor of Lagos State his Attorney General and Special Assistant on Transport from interfering with the function of the Executive Committee of RTEAN.

“The court restrained the Lagos State Commissioner of Police from using his men to stop the Executive Committee of RTEAN from performing its duties and to immediately withdraw the policemen from the premises of the RTEAN.

“All parties, especially the defendants are expected to comply with the judgement of the National Industrial Court.

“In view of the above, the Executive National President, Dr. Musa Muhammed Maitakobi in the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on May 24, 2023, at RTEAN House, delegate his Deputy Chairman Admin, Aransiolpa Kudus as the acting Chairman of Lagos as refer to Article 7: 2ii(a) of RTEAN constitution and he thank all the Lagos state Executive members for their patient and support shown to him at all time and call them always to be law-abiding citizens and to be constitutionally guided.