FG should reverse power sector privatisation –Labour

Nigeria Labour Congr said it ess on Monday said it was against the Federal Government’s reported plan to divest 40 per cent of its shares in Discos and Gencos.

The Labour Congress made its stand in a communiqué  released at the end of its National Executive Council meeting in Kano and signed by the NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, and its outgoing General Secretary, Dr Peter Ozo-Eson.

“The NEC rejected any attempt to divest 40 per cent of public shares in Discos and Gencos. The NEC posited that instead of selling public shares in Discos and Gencos, government should review and reverse the privatization of the power sector. The NEC rejected any increase in electricity tariff in the country,” the communiqué added.

NLC also pointed out that high cost of living, widespread unemployment, mass poverty and galloping inequality gap were indications that the present performance of the nation’s economy was poor.

It also condemned what it described as campaign through the media for increase in fuel price in the country.

The NLC, therefore, called on the government to take adequate steps to develop people oriented socio-economic policies to address poverty and inequality faced by workers and citizens all over the country.

“NEC urged Nigerian workers and people to be vigilant against any increase in the price of refined petroleum products. Government is therefore urged to fix the inefficiencies in the downstream petroleum sub sector.

“While NEC awaits the final policy directives by the CBN on the restriction of access to official foreign exchange on food import in order to adopt a definite position, it urged the Federal Government to consider the fact that some food sources such as dairy products require essential foreign inputs for local production,” stated the NLC communique.

On the Federal Government’s ratification of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, the NLC commended the decision while it also praised the government for engaging social partners, particularly organised labour and the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria before taking the decision.

At the meeting, the NLC NEC appointed Emmanuel Ugboaja as the new General Secretary of the NLC to succeed Ozo-Eson while Ismail Bello was appointed to fill the vacant position of the Deputy General Secretary.

Press Release