Anambra: NURTW wants Obiano to obey court order, return them to parks

www.odogwublog.com reports that members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, Anambra state branch are now begging Governor Willie Obiano to obey the recent High court Order and return their members to motor parks in the state to carry out their legitimate duties, as obtained in other 35 states of the federation and Abuja.

South-East Zonal Chairman of the union, Chief Augustine Udeozor who made the appeal in Awka, shortly after the swearing-in of Obiano for a second term in office, said although they were already in talks with Obiano since the High Court de-proscribed the union in the state in 2016, Obiano should expedite action to enable their jobless members return to work.

Flanked by the State Vice Chairman, Hon. Dominic Ezebuenyi and Chairman of Ogbaru Local Government Area branch, Chief Francis Ugboaja, Udeozor who is also the state chairman of the union, lamented that having been proscribed for over 17 years now and deproscribed since two years ago, Obiano should allow them to go back to motor parks and do their lawful duties because most of their members are idle and hungry.

He however congratulated Obiano for his second term feat and urged him not to relent in embarking on massive transformation of the state, since the electorate reposed such a huge amount of confidence on him and returned him with overwhelming votes during the last governorship election in the state.

The union had been outlawed by a court of competent jurisdiction about 17 years ago and was prohibited from operating in motor parks in the state by Anambra State House of Assembly Law No. 6 of 2000 when they had a running battle with the then state government, under former Governor Chinwoke Mbadinuju administration.

But in 2016, an Awka High Court in Anambra state, presided over by Justice D. A. Onyefulu deproscribed the union by restraining the state government, its agent, servants, privies, workmen and/or cohorts from treating them as a body or entity prohibited or outlawed in the state.

The court however directed that NURTW is to operate under the provisions of Section 40 of the law No. 12 of 2005 (Anambra State Park Administration and Management Bureau Law of 2005), which repealed Law No. 6 of 2000 that prohibited NURTW from operating in the state.

In his judgement in a suit filed by NURTW, through their legal counsel, Arthur Obi-Okafor (SAN), against the state government, Justice Onyefulu further declared that treatment of NURTW as a body or an entity prohibited or outlawed in the state by the defendant, its agents, servants, privies, workmen and/or cohorts is null void and of no legal consequence.

In the judgement which however has no order as to costs, the court declared: "may be the worry of the defendant (state government) is that the plaintiff (NURTW) will cause mayhem but I believe that this is not the issue as the Law No. 12 of 2005 gives the Bureau, power to regulate parks, including collection of dues. This means that the plaintiff is to operate under the supervision and control of the bureau".

The union had dragged the state government to the court asking for a declaration that the NURTW  (Prohibition) Law 1999 which became Law No. 6 of 2000 was repealed by the provisions of section 40 of the Anambra State Park Administration and Management Bureau Law of 2005 (Law No. 12 of 2005) and is therefore no longer in force in the state.

Also in an 18-paragraph affidavit in support of the suit deposed to by one Comrade Charles Nweke, state secretary of NURTW, the plaintiff averred that the Law of 1999 which became Law No. 6 of 2000 that prohibited NURTW from operating in the state has been repealed by the provision of section 40 of the state Park Administration and Management Bureau Law No. 12 of 2005.