By Ibraheem Solaudeen.
The Kwara State chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), has appealed to Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq to ostracize all illegal transport unions in the state, in a bid to curtail the high rate of kidnapping and other violent crimes prevalent on the highways.
The state chapter of the union, made the appeal through its Chairman, Alhaji Aliyu Issa Ore, during the commissioning of its secretariat in Ilorin, yesterday.
Alhaji Issa Ore, lamented that unregistered transport unions operate freely within the state, even at these perilous times of assassinations and robberies aides by unknown transporters and fake passengers.
He identified the illegal transport unions operating in the state as: The Nigeria Association of Cooperative Transporters (NACT), Association of Okada Riders and Taxi Owners Association.
Governor Abdulrazaq, who was represented at the commissioning of the new NURTW secretariat by the Kwara State Deputy Governor, Mr. Kayode Alabi, said the union was one of the largest employers of labour in the economy with over 1.5 million people engaged in the sector.
The construction of the new secretariat, was funded by the national body of the NURTW led by Alhaji Najeem Yasin, while the Kwara State Government donated the land opposite the Ilorin International Airport.
The event also had in attendance, the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Gambari, Federal Road Safety Corps Marshall, Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi and NURTW delegates from across Nigeria.