The leadership of the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) has announced its withdrawal from Council of Maritime Transport Unions and Associations (COMTUA) with immediate effect, following what it described as breach of agreement.
Barely five months the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) withdrew for the collaboration of truckers, the body of truck owners, NARTO, said that COMTUA has deviated from the original plan for which It was formed.
Recall that in June 2021, the President General MWUN, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju had announced the pulling out of his Union from COMTUA in June 2021, stating that the decision was due to breach in agreement as mutually agreed to by all members of COMTUA.
According to a letter signed by the Executive Secretary of NARTO, Mr Aloga Ogbogo, dated 16th November 2021, he has equally said the association can no longer associate with a group of people that constantly engage is extortion and all kinds of illegality at the Nigerian port.
The Executive Secretary alleged that members of the COMTUA often spearhead attacks which often result in injuries and deaths of some of its co-collaborators.
He warned that going forward, NARTO would no longer participate in the affairs of COMTUA or be held responsible in any of its actions.
Stating some of it’s grouse, the truck owning association in the notification letter said “Instead of COMTUA focusing on the best way to achieving these noble objectives, some members of the council resorted to internal and external petitions with the letterhead of the council without due consultation with the leadership, coupled with attacks upon attacks on co-collaborators that has sometimes resulted to serious injuries and death which does not give COMTUA a good image before the public.
“There are also reported cases of all kinds of illegality and extortion of money from co-members which contravenes the objectives for which COMTUA was formed”
He said the primary aims and objectives of setting up COMTUA was
To collaborate In order to have a formidable force to speak In one voice in addressing all challenges bedeviling the maritime transport industry.
Other reasons are to articulate all members views, operational challenges and present it to appropriate authorities.
“The Association have seen that the running of COMTUA activities is in variance with the objectives for which it was formed and therefore, it has become an inevitable conclusion not to be part of the collaboration any longer” the letter read.
