A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered a former chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) Lagos branch, Musilu Akinsanya aka MC Oluomo and eight others from collecting union dues and levies from commercial drivers that are non-union members in all motor parks in Lagos State.
Justice Peter Lifu gave the order while granting an ex parte application in a suit filed by a lawyer Olukoya Ogungbeje on his own behalf and that of a new transport union, Transport Union Society of Nigeria (TUSON).
The other respondents are the registered trustees of the NURTW, registered trustees of Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), and registered trustees of the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) among others.
The ex parte application also temporarily restrained the Lagos State Government from further enforcing an N800 transport union levy on transporters and commercial vehicles in the state, pending the hearing and determination of the plaintiffs’ substantive originating motion.
Ogungbeje also asked the court for an order restraining all the respondents from “arresting, detaining, harassing, embarrassing, humiliating, inviting, seizing and confiscating any commercial vehicle, disturbing and or interfering with the lawful Transport Business operations of the Applicant and its transport union members in connection with the facts of the case pending the determination of the substantive originating motion.”
The judge adjourned till June 6 for ruling on the applicants’ motion to join other parties to the suit.
