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B N W: Biafra Nigeria World News |
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Lagos govt faults FG�s move to draft FRSC men to highwaysKAZEEM UGBODAGA
AS the Federal Government prepares to draft 450 officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to Lagos to control traffic on its highways, the Lagos State Government on Tuesday said the action was illegal and unconstitutional as matters of traffic control on roads in any state fall under the residual legislative list. The state government also in its bid to stem the violent clash between transportation unions in the state has resolved to recognise and allow two unions to operate in Lagos, which are the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) and the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), while it ordered other unions to align with either of the two. Addressing a news conference on Tuesday at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, Lagos, the Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Muiz Banire said under the 1999 Constitution the issue of maintaining traffic on state highways except Federal Trunk Roads, which are interstate roads, was vested in the states, saying FRSC had no business in this. The commissioner suspected that Works Minister, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, might have instigated the drafting of FRSC to take over from the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) on Federal roads. According to him, FRSC could not drive LASTMA officials out of Federal roads but that it would only complement their efforts, adding that the FRSC was welcome only if it had concern to rid the state of traffic congestion. In his words: �The FRSC does not have jurisdiction on state highways, except through Federal Trunk Roads which are interstate roads. It would not be strange to us if they should come, what is important is we all have consistent work programme.� If genuinely they are concerned, they are welcome. What we will not accept is the era of thuggery because we will resist that.� However, Banire also announced the recognition of only two transport unions in the state, saying that a committee set up last year to look into the problems of incessant clash among the various transport unions in the state had recommended the resuscitation of the defunct Lagos State Parking Authority established under Cap 95, laws of Lagos State 2003. �The state government also gives recognition to Federal Government�s Decree 4 of 1996 titled: �Trade Union Amendment Act� which established only two Unions/Associations for Road Transport namely, RTEAN which is under the umbrella of National Employers Consultative Association (NECA) and NURTW which is under the aegis of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC),� he stated. The commissioner also added that the state government had approved that there should be no collection of dues by any Union/Association of the Bus-stops, saying such collections should henceforth be restricted to Motor parks and garages. �This is to check the proliferation of collections of dues ranging from booking, loading, union fees to extortion in motor parks garages and busstops, an act which has been fingered as being responsible for the constant increment in transport fares as operators would naturally transfer the burden of payment on the already pauperised masses,� he said.
Wednesday, June 30, 2004 |
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