RTEAN members receive leadership training at NIPSS, want thugs out of parks

Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) has vowed to reform the transport sector and tackle all forms of thuggery around motor parks.

RTEAN President, Musa Maitakobi, stated this shortly after presenting Certificates of Attendance to 17 RTEAN members who had completed a strategic leadership, ethics and policy making training at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Jos, Plateau State.

At the event, the RTEAN president was also presented with the Nigeria Silent Heroes Award (NSHA)

Noting that the constitution of RTEAN frowns at any form of thuggery and hooliganism, Maitakobi said the leadership training acquired by its members would change the perception Nigerians have about road transport workers.

He said: “I want to use this medium to commend NIPSS. This is good for those of us who are educated. Initially, the public sees us as touts and hooligans, but when you go through our constitution, we have the mandate to eradicate touting, hooliganism in motor parks. This also shows that our members are educated because you cannot approach NIPSS if you are not educated.

“Interestingly, we have started seeing the impact of this leadership training. The people who attended NIPSS will take it back to their state chapters and also train others. The truth is RTEAN members are not used to causing trouble. You cannot compare us to other unions. If we are aggrieved, we usually channel our complaints to security agencies because we do not believe in violence. Take for example what happened in Lagos on Monday where we held rally and it was peaceful.”

Maitakobi called on RTEAN members to be law abiding, saying they should not allow anyone to use them to foment chaos.

On his part, RTEAN Kaduna State Chairman and Vice President, North West, Adamu Jalaludeen, who partook in the leadership training, said the association was taking its right position among labour unions.

He said: “In the past, there has never been a leader who has done this. Our president decided to choose from the rank and file to go for the leadership course. He sent us not because we are the best, but because he has the interest of the association at heart. This means RTEAN is taking its rightful position in the scheme of things.”