The Centre for Human and Socio-Economic Rights (CHSR) has faulted the Lagos State Government’s alleged one-sided intervention in the ranging impasse rocking the management of parks in the state.
The CHSR National President Mr Alex Omotehinse maintained this stance at a press conference held in Lagos earlier on Thursday, saying that the group would be left with no other option than to head to the court, if the state government refused to do what is stipulated in the law of the state as regards the management of Parks.
CHSR is calling for a reconstitution of the recently constituted Lagos State Park Management Committee, giving a seven days ultimatum for all concerned parties to be factored in to ensure peace reigns in the sector.
The group cited a clear contravention of substituting Lagos State Park and Garden Authority law,in the constitution of the said committee.
“According to section 12 of the act, there shall be a general manager who will be the chief executive officer and to be responsible for the general administrative and day – day activities of the park management with five other members.
“But the committee as composed is alien to the law of the state. Where in the act, as constituted and signed by law, is the provision for executive chairman and governor liaison officer?
He said that the committee lacked fair representation of critical stakeholders, hence the reason for the unrest in some parks.
Omotehinse said: “In between April 19 and April 23, over 1000 transport vehicles were vandalised and a Rainoil filling station was attacked.
“Lagos residents have started witnessing pockets of violence activities within Lagos state metropolis in areas where the park management committee have encroached and forcefully taking- over which ought not to have arise.
“The State government should re-trace its step by calling both the NURTW National body, the suspended Lagos State council chairman MC Oluomo and all the stakeholders in the transportation sector for a genuine dialogue in other to make an amicable resolution in the interest of peaceful park operation.
The group maintained that the appointment of Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya as the Chairman for the Park Management Committee, has generated lot of heat in the transport sector of the state, given the perception that the committee’s constitution was devoid of fairness and equity.
The leadership crisis between the Lagos State Council of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and the Tricycle Owners and Operators Association of Nigeria (TOOAN) led to the suspension of the NURTW State Chairman, Akinsanya, by the national body.
Consequently, the state government proscribed the state council of the NURTW and appointed a 26-man Park Management Committee chaired by Akinsanya.
This development has led to serious violence in some parks in the state.
Omotehinse said that the leadership crisis rocking the NURTW and TOOAN could cause anarchy if not urgently stemmed.
“Our interest is peace in the state. Peace must be in Lagos. If there is no peace there will not be progress. We are not speaking for any transport unions, we are speaking on behalf of the residents.
“Many road users and pedestrians have become victims of the hooliganism and attacks by some members of these transport unions. During the attacks, innocent residents have always been the victims of circumstance,” he said.
He said that tricycle union had been an affiliate of NURTW operating independently as TOOAN before the Gov. Babatunde Fashola (SAN) led regime, who through the then commissioner for Transportation Comrade Kayode Opeifa championed the alignment and affiliation with the union.
The rights activists, who called for sincere and genuine reconciliatory intervention by the government, lamented the alleged extortion of transporters and road users in the state.
According to him, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) ought to have found a way of resolving the dispute within its NURTW affiliate union in Lagos, Ogun, Ondo and Oyo State.
He also urged the Lagos State House of Assembly to organise a parley with stakeholders including civil society organisation to debate a way forward before the issue degenerates ” transport sector is one of the most critical sector that involved all citizens”.
He urged the police to be unbiased and neutral in the matter.