Park managers: Foment trouble, go to jail, Oyo warns NURTW members

THE Oyo State government on Sunday warned some leaders of the suspended National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in the state to desist from carrying out the threats of violence issued in a video which has gone viral in the last 24 hours.

A statement signed by the state Commissioner for Public Works and Infrastructure, Professor Raphael Afonja, noted that the government of Governor Seyi Makinde would bring the full weight of the law to bear on anyone caught disturbing peace and order in the state.

The government further called on the residents of the state to ignore the empty threats by leaders of the suspended union and go about their lawful businesses, noting that the state government and all the security agencies in the state remained alert and on top of the security situation.

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The government maintained that though leaders of the NURTW might have misinterpreted the park management system which is aimed at rebranding the management of motor parks in the state, it would not sit idly and watch some individuals threaten the peace of the state.

The statement further explained that new Park Management Systems (PMS) initiative, apart from being introduced to sanitise the poor state of the parks across the state, would also assist in boosting the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and also provide employment to the teeming youths across the state who would be recruited by the park managers.

Meanwhile, stakeholders in the NURTW in the state, have called on the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Saliu  Adetunji,  the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi and other traditional rulers in the state to help plead with Governor Seyi Makinde to jettison the idea of motor park management arrangement the government is planning to put in place.

The appeal was made during a meeting which was held in Ibadan, the state capital, over the weekend.

The stakeholders noted that the NURTW is an entity different from government parastatals, hence the arrangement of the motor park management system by the government is illegal and uncalled for.

A former chairman of the union, Alhaji Abideen Ejiogbe, while speaking during the meeting said: “We are appealing to the Olubadan, the Alaafin of Oyo and other traditional rulers in the state to help us plead with the governor to jettison the idea.