Two Presidents of truck owners associations in the nation’s maritime business sector drag themselves to the mud in their quest to establish which association is legally authorized to ply their trade in the sector
By Innocent Chukwu
The President of the Council of Maritime Truck Unions and Associations (COMTUA), Adeyinka Aroyewun, has taken a swipe at the President of the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), Chief Remi Ogungbemi, for claiming that COMTUA had been disbanded since August 2023. Tentacle had earlier reported that the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), AMATO, the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), the Container Truck Owners Association of Nigeria (COTOAN) and the Amalgamation of Container Truck Owners Association of Nigeria (ACTOAN), said in a statement that they had, since 2023, jointly disbanded COMTUA by which the latter had no legal authority to continue to exist.
But in a sharp reaction the president of COMTUA, Areyewun, has dismissed AMATO, MWUN and their allies as peddling false rumours about his association. In a statement the COMTUA president signed, he said that the “purported president of the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), is making headlines for all the wrong reasons. At 74 years old, one would expect a man of his age to be a pillar of wisdom and integrity. However, Ogungbemi’s actions paint a different picture – that of a delinquent who is willing to go to any lengths to push his agenda, even if it means betraying the trust of truck owners and operators”.
Aroyewun alleged that the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), was the sponsor of many unpopular acts of the AMATO president for which the latter is tearing apart truck owners associations in the maritime business sector.
Aroyewun said, “Ogungbemi’s latest escapade involves being sponsored by the Nigerian Ports Authority to promote an unpopular call-up system among truck owners and operators. This move has raised eyebrows among members of the Maritime industry, who question Ogungbemi’s motives and wonder if he truly represents their interests”.
Ogungbemi’s alleged sit-tight- syndrome at AMATO was also raised by Aroyewun. According to the COMTUA helmsman, Ogungbemi has remained the president of AMATO since the association was founded 25 years ago, a situation that translates to Ogungbemi plotting to remain a life president of AMATO.
“What is particularly concerning is that Ogungbemi has been at the helm of AMATO since its inception over 25 years ago, despite going against the association’s constitution, Corporate norms and the Nigerian laws.
“His continued presence as president has raised suspicions about his true intentions and whether he is truly working in the best interests of the members.
“Furthermore, Ogungbemi has been accused of spreading malicious articles and rumors about the dissociation of COMTUA, despite never being a member himself.
While referring to false claim of MWUN and NARTO of the dissolution of COMTUA, only an unstable individual will not comprehend that no individual or group can dissolve an association from which you earlier resigned”, Aroyewun stated.
Commenting on why the MWUN and NARTO resigned from COMTUA, Aroyewun added, “MWUN and NARTO resigned their membership of COMTUA in 2021 and a convention held in 2022, where a new MOU was signed excluding these associations, coming in 2023 to dissolve an association where you are not a member or a signatory to its MOU is laughable.
“Do I need to remind Remi that speaking onbehalf of these Associations; whose members were obtained to bail at the port CID in 2023 on the same matter, is a character of a delinquent.
“It is clear that Remi Ogungbemi’s actions are not in line with the values of integrity, transparency, and accountability that should be expected from a 74 years old man. His behavior paints a negative image of his association and undermines the trust of members of the trucking community in the maritime sector.
“Members of AMATO, are advised to hold Remi Ogungbemi accountable for his actions and demand transparency and honesty from him as their leader.
“I am not unaware of the reason behind his desperation – “stomach infrastructure ”
Accusing Ogungbemi of having no single truck, yet holding tight to the presidency of AMATO, Aroyewun stated further, “A man without a single truck or business in the maritime transport industry in the last 30 years , will work for NPA against truckers’ interests to earn a living.
“It is time to put an end to the delinquent behavior of a 74-year-old man who should know better.
“COMTUA is not in competition with you or your co-travellers in your ignoble journey. Keep struggling with your inferiority complex against COMTUA”.
Tentacle sounded out Ogungbemi on the allegations against him. His response was simple, “Good morning Sir. On the story, I want to say that I have resolved not to allow issue that could distract my attention from the goals that we are pursuing as Amato, which is on how working environment can be more conducive for every truckers in the maritime industry, and I will not be joining issue with the character you mentioned, because I’m having more important issues at hand that wouldn’t allow diversionary talks, thanks”.
Asked further to comment on Aroyewun’s allegations that he does not have a single truck, and his plot to remain life president of AMATO, Ogungbemi responded, “That is his own opinion, let him prove it. What is his business if I don’t have even a bicycle? He is just a blackmailer. I’m not aware that COMTUA is registered by the CAC”.
