The block industry owners called for an urgent intervention of the state governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, “to avert unnecessary breakdown of peace in the state.”
Also, the association accused the state chapter of the NURTW of illegally collecting unauthorised levies and dues from its members despite two judgements in their favour by the State High Court, Otor-Udu Division; and the Court of Appeal, Asaba Division.
The President of the association in the state, Lawrence Akatakpo, in a press statement released on Wednesday, called on Oborevwori to wade in immediately “to halt the unwarranted assault and illegal collection of levies from drivers of the association by NURTW Delta state chapter, to forestall imminent hostilities between the two bodies.”
He decried the illegal activities of the NURTW officials which have drastically hampered the growth of their businesses as they could not move their goods freely.
The association appealed to other relevant authorities to prevail on members of the NURTW to desist from the incessant harassment of their members.
He wondered why the NURTW in the state have continued to harass and intimidate members of the association as well as force them to buy tickets.
According to him, “members of the Block Industries Association in Delta state do not render the services of conveying passengers and perishable goods”.
He explained that after the favourable court ruling, the association took further step of approaching the Delta State Ministry of Justice and the Delta State Police Command headquarters in Asaba to seek the interpretation of the judgement “which clearly indicates that members of the NURTW have no right or any law backing them to sell tickets to members of the association since they are not members of their Union but belong to Trade and Investment”.
He presented relevant documents to substantiate the association’s claims, one of which was a letter by the Delta State Directorate of Transport dated July 7, 2023, addressed to the State Chairman, NURTW, Asaba with the title “Re: Obnoxious taxation by NURTW and local government councils: Appeal for urgent intervention.
The letter read partly, “Consequent upon the meeting held on June 14, 2023, between the members of the Block Industry Association, the representative of the National Union of Road Transport Workers and the Management of the Directorate of Transport, I am directed to formally request you to suspend the collection of fees/levies under any guise from the members of the Block Industry Association for now.”
However, efforts by our correspondent to obtain reactions from Delta NURTW officials on the matter were futile as of the time of filing this report.
