More facts have emerged on why Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu suspended activities of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) from all motor parks in Ondo State.
Our correspondent gathered that there was a security reports which indicated likely clash between the two drivers’ Unions during activities to mark the second term inauguration of Akeredolu.
It was also gathered that another reason Akeredolu took the decision was because of the astronomical increase in transport fare within Akure metropolis owing to hike in ticket fees paid by commercial drivers as another reason.
Last month, commercial taxi drivers were made to pay N750 daily as against N250 which made them to increase drop from N50 to N100.
The N750 was broken down to N300 to the coffers of the state government, N100 for the national leadership of NURTW or RTEAN while the N300 for the state leadership of the unions.
According to sources ,what however peeved the State Government, was the N300 meant to State Government was sold to the union for N200.
Also, the unions were found not to have been remitting any money to the State Government in its previous N250 daily collections for months.
Addressing newsmen on Monday, Senior Special Assistant on Special Duties and Strategy to Akeredolu, Dr Doyin Odebowale, said the state government would not sit by and watch the unions turned the state to theatre of war.
His words: “Their leadership is not recognised by us. They should go to their offices. They should leave our parks immediately.
“They go about brandishing guns, cutlasses. They want to be killing themselves over money.
“Anybody who wants to die is welcome if he wants to commit suicide but we will not allow them turn Ondo to a place of war. The Governor has directed that we look into it. If it is a thing we can resolve we will resolve it.”
He warned both unions to stop collecting dues and levies from commercial drivers in the state.
Odebowale said new tickets would be sold directly by government officials and urged commercial drivers to revert to the old price of N50 per drop.
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