AUPCTRE, RDI, JAF Demand Immediate Reinstatement Of Sacked Lagos Water Corporation Employees
... Urge LASG To Probe Successive Managements Of LWC For Alleged Corruption
By Edu Abade
Organized labour in the nation’s water sector and their civil society counterparts have demanded immediate and unconditional reinstatement of all employees of the Lagos State Water Corporation (LWC), who were sacked on April 15, 2024 on grounds of ‘redundancy.’
They insisted that political interference and deep-rooted corruption in successive management of the Corporation has been responsible for the failure of the state’s water system and provision of the essential commodity across the state and not the staff members, who are being branded ‘incompetent and redundant’ by the Engr. Tijani Muktar-led management.
This followed the controversy surrounding the disengagement of no fewer than 405 employees of the corporation on April 15, 2024, which stakeholders have described as ‘illegal and insensitive’ in the light of current economic hardship in the country.
Members of the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) at the national and state levels, Renevlyn Development Initiative (RDI) and the Joint Action Front (JAF) made the demand on Monday, May 6, 2024 at a Virtual Media Briefing on Illegal Sack of Lagos State Water Corporation Staff.
Speaking in company of Executive Director of RDI, Philip Jakpor and Achike Chude of JAF, among others, National President of AUPCTRE, Comrade Benjamin Anthony, said the Lagos State Government had consistently threatened the collective existence of residents through sustained efforts of successive administrations to privatize water resources.
“Events in the last few weeks, including the unlawful sack of about 400 staff of the LWC is an escalation of a well-choreographed process which started a little over 10 years ago. Workers who have put in between 25 and 30 years of their life to make the corporation work are suddenly laid off. Most of them are now in a state of despair and contemplating suicide.
“The multiplier effect of the disengagement at a time Nigerians are finding it hard to survive extends beyond the affected workers and capable of jeopardizing the livelihoods of their dependents and exacerbating socio-economic inequalities. Those who were not affected by the sack are de-motivated and fear for their job security,” he stated.
Lamenting that the Lagos State Government had allocated billions of Naira for the resuscitation of waterworks in the state without results, he said in 2007 the state government voted N4billion for construction of Otta-Ikosi Waterworks, which has remained dysfunctional, he wondered why the contractors have not been identified and sanctioned.
In a joint press statement titled: Political Interference, Management Corruption Responsible for Lagos Water Crisis, Not Sacked Workers, Anthony noted that in 2010, N3billion was spent on the construction of an Independent Power Plant (IPP), which also included an additional N180million spent monthly on fueling the IPP. The facility only worked for only three years.
Also, in 2018 the state government released N897million for the rehabilitation of Iju and Adiyan Waterworks and another N789million for the rehabilitation of mini and micro waterworks across the state.
Wondering which contractors got the contracts, how they were selected and why residents continue to suffer severe lack of water in the localities where the dysfunctional mini and micro waterworks were sited, he insisted that these have nothing to do with the sacked employees.
“Between 2022 and now the state government earmarked a whooping N2.7billion on the rehabilitation of Isashi waterworks supervised by the governor without results. The budget for purchase of chemicals for year 2023 was N950million, yet there was nothing to show in terms of water production.
“Yet another N315million was paid as 50 percent advanced payment to contractor for the supply of liquid alum in October 2023, which is yet to be supplied. The budget for chemical in 2024 amounted to N1.2billion but no production of water since the beginning of the year.
“The Lagos State Government also released N9.5million for repair of chemical store gate at Iju and Adiyan, while a similar construction of falling fence at Apapa Waterworks was put at N7.3million,” he said.
The groups, therefore, demanded unconditional reinstatement of all disengaged staff members of the LWC, maintaining that such arbitrary mass dismissals that run afoul of the law remains a dangerous precedent of impunity which is unacceptable.
They also requested an independent probe into all the water contracts awarded in Lagos since 2007, as well as blacklisting of identified contractors and a recoup of all diverted funds.
“We demand a halt to the ongoing privatization plans of water in Lagos. We have evidence that in virtually all cities where privatization model was experimented, it led to rate hikes, poor quality service, shut-offs for the most vulnerable people in communities who cannot pay, disengagement of workers as we are now witnessing and other consequences that erode universal access to water advocated by the United Nations (UN).
“The Lagos State should therefore terminate of all partnerships and any collaboration that aims to foist water privatization on the state,” they stated.
Secretary-General of Lagos chapter of AUPCTRE, Comrade Abiodun Bakare, who spoke in company of his colleagues including Chairman, Lagos unit of AUPCTRE, Comrade Ige-Jenyo Olawale, General Secretary, Sikiru Waheed and Financial Secretary, Bello Olalekan, said it was disheartening that a government that assumed office on the mantra of renewed hope was engaging on anti-people policies.
Lamenting that AUPCTRE has lost three of its members since the sack incident, he pointed out that laws of the land should not be impartially enforced under any guise, stressing that the action of the management of LWC called for mass mobilization against the ‘illegality,’ adding that since assuming office in July 2023, Engr. Tijani Muktar has been pursuing policies and taking decisions aimed at concessioning or privatizing the Lagos Water Corporation.
In his remarks, Achike lamented that from Enugu to Zamfara, Lagos to Kaduna, the wrong people have always been making policies and taking decisions for majority of citizens in the country, adding that it was not all about what had happened but what Nigerians must do in the face of economic hardship and oppression going forward.
“We must pursue the option of peaceful protests with vigour and determination. We should go on air including radio and television to expose the critical issues of failure of water infrastructure and its provision to residents of Lagos and other states of the country,” he said.
At the virtual media briefing anchored by Philip Jakpor, participants resolved that on Wednesday, May 8, 2024, union members, civil society groups and sympathizers with the cause will embark on a peaceful protest to Alausa, the seat of Lagos State Government to demand a comprehensive review of the state water infrastructure, as well as a reversal of the sack LWC employees.
