Oyo govt appoints motor park managers, says ‘Auxiliary’ not park manager

The Oyo state government has appointed park managers to oversee motor parks across all local government areas in the state.

State Commissioner for Works, Professor Raphael Afonja who disclosed this to journalists at State Secretariat, Ibadan, on Friday, added that the names of the appointed park managers will be unveiled on Monday.

To be appointed alongside park managers are assistant park managers, secretary, and treasurer.

He noted that the park managers have a duty to collect revenue, coordinated by a consultant, on behalf of the state government.

In particular, Afonja described as untrue purported engagement of a former Chairman of the proscribed National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Mukaila Lamidi, popularly known as Auxiliary, as one of the park managers.

Aside from park managers, he however said a disciplinary committee will also be unveiled on Monday.

Noting that the NURTW remained banned, Afonja said all such collections by union members were illegal.

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“The state has decided to appoint park managers across the state in al 33LGS. The goal is to have these people become the eye of government and collect revenue on behalf of the state government and this will be remitted through the consultant and sent to government coffers. We’ll release the name of park managers by Monday.

“This is different from the traditional union thing that has been going on before. The government feels there is a need to have appropriate people that can spearhead the collection of revenue for the state. Those park managers and those appointed to work in quarries will be collecting funds on behalf of the government.

“No union is allowed to collect money from vehicle owners because they have been proscribed. They are proscribed by the government and not allowed to collect money on behalf of their unions. These park managers will be in charge of the 33 LGs across the state.

“Mukaila Lamidi known as Auxiliary is not a park manager. The list of park managers in each LG will be unveiled by Monday. Every local government will have a park manager.

“However, we have a disciplinary committee which will be liaison between state, security agencies, and these parks. We will unveil these committee members by Monday too after due and proper consultation. Letters have been sent out to security agencies to inform them of this new development.

“Any illegal collection of funds should stop. Anyone should show approval from the government. Unions are not allowed to collect money in the state,” Afonja said.

Meanwhile, he pointed out that Okada riders will be asked to pay N200 daily to state government-appointed revenue collectors.

Afonja maintained that it was illegal for anyone apart from the appointed collectors to collect revenue or issue manifests at motor parks, quarries except the revenue collectors to be unveiled on Monday.

“Manifests sold in motor parks and garages are illegal. We are working with FRSC and will roll out manifest in collaboration with them that will be sold at motor parks. It will involve vehicle insurance for commuters so that if anything happens to them, they will have someone to come to their aid. This is collaboration between FRSC and government not union and FRSC.

“They will collect N200 from Okada. N50 should not be collected from Okada by NURTW until they are unbanned. We also urge security officers not to collect money from Okada to enable them to make ends meet,” Afonja said.