A MAJOR tragedy hit the Labour community Wednesday.
Three officials of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and two of their aides died in a road accident in Abuja.
The National President, Comrade Gidado Hamman, General Secretary Mudashiru Amao and National Organising Secretary Comrade John Olaoye died in the crash.
Hamman’s driver Malam Aliyu and orderly also died.
The unionists were on their way to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja enroute Lagos to catch a flight. They were on an official assignment.
Alhaji Aliyu Hassan, the FCT Secretary of NURTW, said:
"Four of them died on the spot and the national organising secretary, died later.
We pray God to grant their soul eternal rest.
"We don’t have anything to do than what God has done. We have contacted the family of the late General Secretary. They told us they want to take his body to his home town.
As for the President, his brother is coming tomorrow."
The Corps Public Enlightenment Officer of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Mr Samuel Obayemi, confirmed the deaths last night.
"Yes, I can confirm the accident and the deaths of the NURTW officers but I cannot give you any other information," he said.
NLC Deputy President Comrade Peters Adeyemi described the death of the NURTW men as "a major disaster".
President General of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUCN) Comrade Peter Esele spoke glowingly of Hamman.
"He was a nice person and a comrade to the core. We shall miss him. May God give his family the fortitude to bear the loss.
President of the National Union of Chemical, Footwear, Leather, Rubber and Non Mettalic Products Employees (NUCFRLANMPE) Boniface Isok said, "This is a big blow to the trade union movement. Many people counted on him."
The President of the Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI), blamed the government for the accident, saying it failed to fix bad roads.
The late Hamman was also the deputy National Treasurer of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
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