As a fallout of the dissolution of the Disciplinary Committee of the Park Management System (PMS), stakeholders, including all warring factions in the public transport unions in Oyo State, have resolved to work harmoniously in the interest of peace and progress of the state.
This was the decision reached during a town hall meeting called to address the violence that usually trails the activities of the union in the state, held on Thursday, at the House of Chiefs, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan.
The stakeholders, who agreed to sheath their swords and work with the government in its plan to rejig the PMS, called on Governor Seyi Makinde to appoint a technocrat to supervise the activities of the unions.
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In their separate remarks during the town hall meeting, the factional union leaders thanked the government for the move to be all-inclusive in the scheme of things in the sector.
The town hall meeting became necessary following Governor Makinde’s sack of the leader of the Disciplinary Committee of the PMS, Mukaila Lamidi, popularly called Auxiliary, on Monday.
In a communique issued at the end of the meeting, the stakeholders urged the government to develop a succession plan for PMS operation in the state, while also calling for the formation of interim or caretaker management team to be established.
The communique, which was read by the Director, Public Works and Transport, Mr. Olatunde Olasunkanmi, reads in part:
“An interim management team/caretaker should be established, the chairman should be appointed by the governor and should be a technocrat or professional in transport planning and management, but impartial (not a member of any group).
“Members to be drawn from various verified transport operative groups.
“Government representatives from various ministries including Works and Transport; Land, Housing and Urban Development; Justice; Environment and Water Resources; Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters; Finance; security operatives; state transport management agency.
“Make use of branch leaders (probably at zonal levels).
“Collection of revenue should be handled by the committee through appointed staff by the committee.
“An office should be created within the State Secretariat for the committee for its operation.
“Test run the system for three months and prepare operational report for the government.
“Government, through the committee, should profile all operators in the state.
“The committee should take census of all streets to avoid public disturbance.
“Government should have a succession plan for PMS operation in the state.
“Government should provide good security apparatus for the operations of the committee.
“Majorly all stakeholders have agreed to work together peacefully as a team.”
The meeting was attended by representatives of the Oyo State Government, transport-related agencies, civil servants, transport operators, groups, civil organisations, community leaders etc. who all contributed meaningfully to the discussion at the meeting.
Governor Seyi Makinde had, in June 2019, proscribed the activities of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in the state following the spate of violence across Ibadan, the state capital.
The government had at the time declared the activities of the union illegal with immediate effect and announced the taking over of all parks and garages in the state, a move that led to the creation of the PMS.
