Tension in Ogun as transport unions clash over revenue collection

There was pandemonium across motor parks in some parts of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, on Monday, as members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and Ogun State Parks and Garages Management Board (OGSPAM), engaged themselves over revenue collection.

Tribune Online observed that there was a security presence at the Brewery motor park, to maintain law and order.

The NURTW and the Road Transport Workers Employees and Owners Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) and OGSPAM were collecting revenue on behalf of the state government.

Recall that the state government established OGSPAM after suspending the activity of NURTW in 2021 and thereafter lifted it in October 2023.

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The State Government through the Commissioner for Transportation, Gbenga Dairo, earlier in the month, directed that both NURTW and OGSPAM should rotate the sale of tickets with a view to maintain peace and orderliness amongst the unions.

A leader of the NURTW, Akeem Abodunrin, was appointed as the chairman of OGSPAM by the State government, while NURTW was on suspension.

According to the arrangement the RTEAN was given the mandate to sell tickets for a period of two weeks, while NURTW and OGSPAM will sell tickets for one week respectively. 

However, tension began to brew when Dairo gave an instruction asking OGSPAM to step down by allowing NURTW to take over from OGSPAM from collecting revenue 

When contacted, Dairo directed newsmen to speak with the Ministry information officer but efforts to speak with the officer were unsuccessful.

The State Commissioner of Police, CP Abiodun Alamatu, confirmed the development, informing that the situation had been brought under control.

He denied the news that two persons lost their lives in the clash.

“Security agents and the government have stepped into the situation. The Police are out there to ensure that there is no breakdown of law and order in fact, I am just leaving a meeting held with the government over the matter, so everything is fine and let me also add that nobody was killed too in the incident,” he said.