Centre For Human And Socio-Economic Rights (CHSR) Gives Lagos Government 7 Day Notice To Resolve Crisis In Transport Sector

A human rights group, Centre For Human And Socio-Economic Rights (CHSR) has given seven days’ notice to the Lagos State Government to resolve the crisis in the transport sector in the state.

The President of the group, Comrade Alex Omotehinse said at a press conference yesterday that the crisis was affecting the security of the state.

Omotehinse then urged the state government to re-trace its step by calling both the National Union of Road Transport Workers’ (NURTW) national body, the suspended Lagos State council Chairman, Mr. Musiliu Akinsanya aka MC Oluomo and all stakeholders in the sector to “a genuine dialogue in order to make an amicable resolution in the in the interest of peaceful co-existence.”

The activist stated that the Lagos government should play the role of an unbiased umpire and “be a true peacemaker by reconstituting the State Park Management Committee to incorporate critical stakeholders in the transportation sector and to include in the committee members of the other factions.”

The group demanded that the Lagos State Commissioner of Police should direct his officers and men to always maintain their neutrality in approaching the issue anywhere in the state, where there is an attack on the other faction “rather than protecting one against another.”

The CHSR president traced the history of the crisis in the transport sector in Lagos to when the national body of the NURTW suspended MC Oluomo, who was later made the chairman of the Lagos State Parks Management Committee with several of his men as members of the 25-member committee, saying that this did not show fairness on the part of the state government.

“After banning the union activities in the state, rumour ensued that Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya (MC Oluomo) has been made the park authority chairman, but Lagos State Ministry of Transportation vehemently denounced the assertion and called on all stakeholders in the transportation sector to remain calm that composition of the committee will all be encompassing (who is fooling who).

“Where are the critical stakeholders as promised by the state government in the 25 committee members as announced? With the exception of Alhaji Mufutau Mutiu of (Mufsuf Motors (, who is a transporter, Sulu Baba Ewe, a member of the Lagos State Sports Commission, and two retired officers, AIG Hakeem Odumosu (rtd.) and one Alhaji Hassan, others are MC Oluomo’s co-travellers in NURTW (what a one-sided selection),” he said.

Omotehinse also accused the state house of assembly of throwing its weight behind Oluomo by summoning an emergency plenary session to “yield to MC Oluomo’s call asking the Lagos State government to take over union activities in the state,” adding that the assembly “dusted the state’s archive and came out with Lagos State Park and Garden Authority law established since 2011 (which has not been operating),’ and took over the garages.