The National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) has pledged total support to the programmes and policies of the administration of President Bola Tinubu, as it strives to enhance the living standards of Nigerians.
President of the Union, Alhaji Tajudeen Baruwa said this while addressing Zonal leaders of the Union who paid him a solidarity visit, on Thursday in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NURTW zonal leaders passed vote of confidence on Baruwa’s leadership and pledged support for his second term bid as president of the Union.
The NURTW president was represented by his Special Assistant, Labour and Industrial Relations, Abuul Boga.
Baruwa said that the union believed that the removal of fuel subsidy would make more money available for development, including the reconstruction of dilapidated roads in the country.
He however said that the union would continue to support organised labour’s demands on government to ameliorate the effect of the fuel subsidy removal on Nigerians.
The NURTW president also stressed the need for state governments, particularly South West Governors, to reconsider replacing NURTW with Parks and Garage Management Committees (PGMC).
He maintained that the Union remained the only registered umbrella trade union for commercial drivers in Nigeria.
“We want to therefore, make it categorically clear, that parks and garages management committee is not a trade union known by any labour law in Nigeria.
“Their activities are not only illegal but also a usurpation of the Union (NURTW) functions.
“Members of the Union in the South west are hereby advised to embrace the NURTW which is the only registered and recognised umbrella trade union for all commercial drivers in Nigeria.
“We equally call on well-meaning people of the south west to intervene and advise those state governments that have replaced NURTW with PGMC, to have a rethink.
“We call on them to allow the operations of the Union in their various motor parks and garages just like it is being done in other parts of the country,” he said.
Baruwa reiterated commitment to the welfare of the union members, adding that the leadership had initiated 100 per cent increase in staff salaries and general promotion of staff aimed at motivating them.
He also said that the Union had remodelled the dilapidated National Secretariat to international standard, which was fully furnished with state of the art facilities.
This, he said, was to ensure conducive environment for officers and staff of the union.
“There has been 100 per cent increase in the allowances of National Administrative Council members, Zonal Chairmen, Zonal Secretaries, State Secretaries and State Treasurers who are also members of the National Executive Council of the Union.
“We will continue to ensure that our staff are well motivated for greater productivity and also enable them carry out the mandate of the union,” Baruwa said.
The Zonal leaders passed vote of confidence on the NURTW national leadership and pledged their support for the second term bid of Baruwa, as president of the Union.