The federal government says it is committed to ensuring a peaceful industrial harmony in the country, especially inter-union relations.
Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mrs Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, stated this in Abuja on Tuesday when he received the leadership of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) led by its Acting President Issa Ore.
She said that the President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu had stressed the importance of peace in the industry irrespective of ethnicity, religion, or any other belief.
“Last year it was all gloomy faces but today I can see cheerful faces and everybody seems to be happy. That’s a good thing to happen in the new year and I wish all a happy and prosperous 2024 and that there will be no crisis in NURTW anymore.
“I assure you that if there is anything that is left undone as we speak, with your kind cooperation it will be done, there is nothing that cannot be resolved.
“The president has said that he wants peace for the country. He also said that he is the driver while we the Ministers and appointees of this government are the conductors for the whole of Nigeria irrespective of ethnicity, religion, or any belief. So I am the conductor and I must make sure that everybody is in the right place”, she said
She also assured the union leaders that the government would do everything possible to work with them to ensure industrial peace and harmony in the country and called for their support and cooperation for the Ministry to attain its vision and mandate.
Earlier, Comrade Ore said they were at the Ministry to thank the Ministry for its efforts in ensuring justice, fairness and impartiality in the handling of the affairs of the Union, despite all efforts by those he called detractors to “intimidate and ridicule your efforts.
“Consequently, we have experienced peace, unity and progress in NURTW. For assisting us to achieve this feat, we reaffirm our solidarity and goodwill to the Ministry and to your good self”.
He said that NURTW is a Trade Union under the Trade Unions Act, duly registered and recognised by Nigeria’s Constitution and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, and governed by its approved Constitution.
“It is on this premise that we believe that external interferences by some players (as witnessed last year by the NLC) and sometimes outright ban of our activities by some State governments especially by way of purported proscription is contrary to the spirit and letters of domestic and international legislations and opens the concerned bodies and State government to perceptions of bias and political interest by the NURTW and many right-thinking members of the public”, he said.
He pledged the union’s continuous synergy and collaboration to the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment to sustain the present peace in the sector.
The NURTW last year was riddled with a leadership crisis which affected its regular activities.
Dominica Nwabufo
