By Fatima Muhammad –
The Plateau State Joint Transport, Traders and Marketers Association has declared a one-day warning strike against the state government’s Executive Order 003, banning trucks from entering Jos-Bukuru metropolis.
Addressing press conference on Tuesday in Jos, the leader of the joint union, Samaila Garba, lamented that about 25 trucks have been impounded by the state government.
While calling on the government to retract its decision, the union leader said some of the trucks impounded were not moving on the road but were off-loading at various stores/shops and were towed to the VIO office at Anglo Jos.
The union leader added that the government had refused to release the said trucks to its owners until the sum of N500,000, is paid as fine on each truck.
“It is with heavy heart that we address you today as you are aware of the pains, hardship our members and the common citizens of Plateau State are going through as a result of the signing and implementation of Executive Order 003, 2024 for the Control of Buildings and Vehicular Traffic in Plateau State wherein more than 25 trucks had been impounded by Mr. Hart Bankat, the General Manager of JMDB on behalf of Plateau State Government on the premise of violation of the said Executive Order on the first day of its implementation,” he said.
“The outright and deliberate refusal of the government to have a listening ears necessitated this press conference,” it added.
The joint association, however, disclosed that they are ready to support the state government in its efforts at creating enabling environment for business to strive so that the IGR of the state could grow effectively.
“We strongly disagree with the government in keeping or parking our vehicles in such an environment (open space) that has security threat.
“We had earlier sat with government officials but the meeting has not yielded any positive result. There is no doubt that the government has overstretched our patience, especially the non-adherence to democratic tenets, rule of law and constitutionalism,” they said.
The joint association, therefore, called on the state government to retract its steps on the Executive Order by releasing their impounded truck immediately and providing designated routes for trucks moving goods to Northeast and Northwestern states.
“We will continue to use all available legal means for the enforcement of our fundamental rights.
“In fact, we have resolved to declare tomorrow 3rd day of April, 2024 as a warning strike to sit at home to show our dissatisfaction with the said Executive Order 003, 2024 and we shall continue until a lasting solution is found,” the joint unions said.
