NURTW Archives - Naija Premium Gist

Police arrest NURTW bigwigs following Lagos Island crisis

January 25, 2022 No Comments

The Rapid Response Squad of the Lagos State Police Command has arrested some prominent members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers in the state.

Among those arrested were Kunle Poly and Sego, whom the Police said were principal suspects in the recurring clashes in the Idumota area of Lagos Island.

The vicinity suffered a big crisis on Monday, leading to the halting of commercial activities in the area, and the loss of lives too.

Reports say that two persons were feared killed during the clash which was between two factions of the transport union – Eyo boys, reportedly loyal to a union leader known as Kunle Poly, and Kosoko boys.

The arrest was effected today at a meeting where the two NURTW members along with some other stakeholders converged,” RRS said.

“Kunle Poly and Sego are currently being transferred to Zone II, Onikan, Lagos.”

In Monday’s clash, one person was said to have been shot dead while another bled to death from machete cuts inflicted on him.

Meanwhile, the violence forced traders in markets around the area to shut down their shops and run for dear life.

Lifestyle

Lagos pegs ‘Danfo’ levies at N800 daily, NURTW reacts

January 19, 2022 No Comments

The Lagos State Government has pegged the daily levy being paid by commercial bus drivers at N800 daily from the current N3000, in a move to sanitise the transport seftor.

This was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Commissioner for Finance, Dr Rabiu Olowo at an Inter-Ministerial press briefing in Alausa, Ikeja.

According to Olowo, this mandate would commence from February 1, 2022 in order to harmonise the informal transport sector while ensuring checks and balances on the part of the state government.

Dignitaries in attendance included Special Adviser to the State Governor on Transportation, Mr Toyin Fayinka, Chairman and Secretary of Conference of 57, Mr David Kolade and Mr Razaq Ajala respectively.

Others included Chairman Lagos State Internal Revenue Service, LIRS, Mr Ayodele Subair, MD Lagos State Waste Management Authority, LAWMA, Mr Ibrahim Odumboni, National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, Musilihu Akinsanya alias MC Oluomo, among others.

The Commissioner further noted that the utmost priority of the government was the well-being of Lagosians.

“Mr Governor has made it a priority to put the interest of Lagosians first that is why we all the stakeholders are here today. Before we came out, we have fought, disagreed, and agreed on the need to have our consolidated informal transport sector levy.

The government of Babajide Sanwo-Olu has inspired that we all come together to have a consolidated levy that takes care of personal income taxes, dues on environment Local Government levy and others. We want to reduce the multiplicity of collection taxes, dues, and levies.”

“We want to harmonize, to have a single charge of N800. We want to moderate the fee payable to Government. This is a very insightful breakthrough for all those who do business within the informal transport sector in the state,” Olowo stated.

In his statement, the Special Adviser to the State Governor on Transportation, Mr Toyin Fayinka clarified that any levy paid at a particular Local Government Area takes care of the daily levies and charges.

A bus driver from Badagry having paid N800 to Badagry local government and going to Mile 2, won’t pay again to Ojo local government. The payment of point of departure takes care of the daily levy and other charges by the government,” Fayinka stated.

However, in an opposing view, the Lagos State Chairman of the NURTW, Musilihu Akinsanya alias MC Oluomo, noted that “the N800 only cover all the money collected by the MDAs and that it did not affect the NURTW ticket.”

Politics

Group urges Sanwo-Olu to ban NURTW from Lagos roads

March 7, 2021 No Comments

The Federal Government on Saturday, March 6, suggested that getting COVID-19 vaccination could become a requirement for all international passengers.

This was contained in a statement issued by the Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Mr. Boss Mustapha, who said some countries have already started introducing restrictions for receiving visitors.

He spoke in Abuja at an event where President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo received their first doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.

Mustapha stated that no one would be able to travel without being vaccinated in the coming months.

“I think vaccine hesitancy would have to give way to the reality,” he said.

He added: “Because the truth about it, Your Excellency, is that very soon, nobody will be able to travel the world unless you produce the certificate that we have been given.

“I have not confirmed but reliably, some countries have started putting restrictions on receiving visitors, even exercising activities of their faith without a COVID-19 vaccination.

So the word that is going out there, on behalf of Mr. President, is that Nigerians should make themselves available, those that are eligible in the first set of the deployment, because the deployment is going to be in four phases, to receive these vaccines.

“They have been tested. Our most strategic leadership has received them this morning. They are safe, efficacious and it is for the good and well being of our people.”

Meanwhile, Buhari described his decision to take the vaccine in public as “a demonstration of leadership and faith in the safety and efficacy of the vaccines.”

I have received my first jab and I wish to commend it to all eligible Nigerians to do same so that we can be protected from the virus,” he said.

He urged all state governments, traditional and religious leaders, to take the lead in the mobilization effort within their environment and spheres of influence.

He said: “The vaccine offers hope for a safe country, free of Coronavirus.

“I similarly urge all eligible Nigerians to present themselves and be vaccinated in accordance with the order of priority already mapped out, at the various authorised designated centres only.”

He congratulated the PTF on COVID-19 on the successful multi-sectoral approach to the management of the pandemic, and also commended state governments, donors, development partners, the private sector, traditional and religious leaders as well as critical stakeholders who have supported Nigeria’s response to the pandemic.

He pledged that all the resources will be equitably administered.