The association said the State Government lacked the power as it described the decision as illegal which was capable of causing breach of public peace in the state.
The Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) has kicked against the alleged ban on the operation of passenger vehicles coming from the Northern part of the country by the Lagos State Government.
The association said the State Government lacked the power as it described the decision as illegal which was capable of causing breach of public peace in the state.
In a statement signed by the General Secretary of the association, Yusuf Ibrahim Adeniyi, on Thursday, the union called for immediate reversal of the decision to allow freedom of movement of all citizens as guaranteed by section 41 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The association said it would do everything legally possible to resist such an unpopular order taken by the Deputy State Chairman Park and Garages constituted, Seyi Bamigbose.
The statement read "Information reaching us through Kwara State and some other Northern states Branch of RTEAN notified us that the Lagos State government has stopped the operation of passenger vehicles coming from the Northern part of the country.
"This directive came from Lagos State Government agent, the Deputy State Chairman, Seyi Bamigbose, of Park and Garages constituted by the Lagos State Government after the suspension of the operation of RTEAN in Lagos State.
"This matter has since been taken to the National Industrial Court (NIC) and the court gave an order for the parties involved to maintain a status quo but the Lagos state Government refused to bring the committee of the Park and Garages constituted to abide by the order. Now, the Association (RTEAN) is beginning to believe that the action of the Lagos State Government is tantamount to contempt of the court order.
"The recent action (stopping the operation of passenger vehicles coming from the Northern part of the country) by the Lagos State government through the Park and Garages is in itself an act that may likely cause the breach of public peace.
"To this end, the association is calling on the Lagos State Government to immediately reverse its decision of not allowing passenger vehicles from the Northern part of the country getting into Lagos State in order to allow freedom of movement of all citizens as guaranteed by section 41 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
"It may interest you to note, that the Road Transport Employers’ Association of Nigeria is a registered trade union under the law as enshrine in section 5 sub 7 of the Trade Union amendment Act, Cap T14 Laws of the Federation which empowers RTEAN to operate anywhere in the country as a Trade union including Lagos.
"RTEAN is a peace-loving organisation that carries out its operations within the ambit of the Law and will remain so.”