Court Stops Miners From Issuing Tickets To Truck Owners In Ogun

Court Stops Miners From Issuing Tickets To Truck Owners In Ogun

An Industrial Court sitting in Ibadan has directed the Nigeria Union of Mine Workers (NUMW) to restrain from issuing tickets to truck owners operating in Ogun State.

Members of the Truck Owners Association of Nigeria and Association of Sand, Granite Suppliers and Hauliers of Nigeria, in the state, had approached the court seeking an order restraining the mine union from compelling them to join their union.

The plaintiff, in Suit No. NICN/AB/05/2019 filed by the Incorporated Trustees of Truck Owners Association of Nigeria and seven others against the Nigeria Union of Mine Workers and six others.

The truck owner’s counsel, Gbenga Akinwande, while appearing before the Court, informed that his clients were not mine workers as contained in Sections 1(1), 54 and Third Schedule, Part B, No.23 of the Trade Unions Act, Volume 14, Cap T14, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2010.

He urged the court to restrain the Nigeria Union of Mine Workers from issuing tickets to truck owners and granite and sand suppliers in Ogun State.

Justice Opeloye Ogunbowale in his judgement submitted that truck owner are not mine workers, and should not be placed under any compulsion to join the union.

He described the issuing of tickets to members of truck owners as “unlawful.”

Ogunbowale said: “That the tickets issued to members of the 1st & 8th claimants by the 3rd- 9th defendants is unlawful and void an initio.

“3rd- 9th defendants who are members and executive officers of the 1st & 2nd defendants are restrained from issuing further tickets to members of the 1st & 8th claimants of whatever sum henceforth.

“I also grant an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants either by themselves, servants, and or agents, from further intimidating, harassing, interfering with, compelling members of the 1st & claimants to join the 1st and 2nd defendants and or forcefully issuing tickets to members of the 1st & 7th claimants.”

The truck owners through its Public Relations Officer, Olatunji Ajayi, said the judgement was victory against oppression and intimidation.

The union, therefore, pleaded with the State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, to obey the court judgement, as regards issuing of tickets.

The union PRO said, “There is no more intimidation. And finally, we are calling on Ogun State Government because one of the arguments we had in the past is the manner in which they gave them the contract of sales of tickets, the haulage of Ogun State. It was condemned, but what we were told was that we better wait until we have this judgment.

“Once we have had the judgment, we are laying it bare on the table of respective people in places of authority and to ensure we have peace without disturbance of any kind, they should do the needful.

“Anyone that court has said, by any means, cannot sell tickets of Ogun State Government to us. That’s our position.”