Commercial Motorcyclists’ Union Rejects Delta Govt.’s Plan To Create Fresh Body

The national body of the Motorcycle Operators Union of Nigeria (MOUN), an affiliate body of the Nigeria Labour Congress, has rejected the move by Delta government to establish another union in the state.

The Delta government had given approval to the Commercial Motorcycle and Tricycle Operators Association (COMTOA) to coordinate and supervise the activities of motorcycle and tricycle operators in the state henceforth.

The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr Kingsley Emu, who nade this known on Saturday in a statement, said that COMTOA would commence the management and collection of levies from motorcycle and tricycle riders beginning from Jan. 8.

Reacting on Sunday in a statement, MOUN President, Comrade Julius Bobi, called on security authorities in the state and federal level to call Delta government to order to avoid anarchy.

“The law is at our bosom and we shouldn’t allow the secretary to the Delta State government to breach it,” he said

He said whatever action his members takes, “we shall be protected by Section 24 of the Trade Unions Act.

“So we’re soliciting that he should be called to order before there’s breakdown of law and order and its attendance consequences,” he said.

Bobi maintained that the issue had long been judiciously settled in MOUN’s favour before Justice C.E. Achilefu of the High Court of Justice at Udu Judicial Division, Delta.

MOUN president, who condemned the latest move, described it as “an impunity and illegality taken too far by the Delta State government.

“We’re commencing our operations on Monday to counter them.”

Bobi also cited a recent judgement where Justice Nelson Ogbuanya of the National Industrial Court (NIC), Port-Harcourt Division, held that the Corporate Affairs Commission by extant laws, lacked the power to register organisations under incorporated trustees, which had aims and objectives of a trade union.

He wondered where the Delta government derived its power to create a rival motorcycle union in the state.