Plateau State Joint Transport, Traders and Marketers Association, have declared a one-day warning strike against the State Government’s Executive Order 003, banning trucks entering Jos-Bukuru metropolis.
The Joint Trade Association said all its members shall close businesses on Wednesday as a warning strike, calling on the Plateau State Government to retract its decisions.
The Joint Trade Associations made the declaration yesterday at a press conference, led by Samaila Garba, flanked by nine other leaders, held at the State Secretariat of the Plateau State Traders and Marketers Association, Jos.
“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.
According to the trade unions, 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 and the Government had refused to release the said trucks to their owners until the sum of ₦500,000 is paid as fine on each truck.
“The outright and deliberate refusal of the government to have a listening ear necessitated this press conference,” it said.
The Joint Associations said their mandate also involves promoting Peace, Economic stability and acceptable behaviour within the society, stressing that they are ready to support the state government efforts at creating the enabling environment for their business to strive so that the Internally Generated Revenue of the state can grow effectively.
“We strongly disagree with the government in keeping or packing our vehicles in such an environment (open space) that has security threat. We had earlier sat with Government Officials but has not yielded any positive result. There is no doubt that having overstretched our patience and non-adherence to democratic tenets, rule of law and constitutionalism,” they said.
The Joint Associations called on the state Government to retract its steps on the Executive Order by releasing their impounded trucks immediately, provide 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.
