Labour, stakeholders divided over privatisation of public utilities

*Ekiti, Ondo, Oyo get strike notice

The National Governing Council (NGC) of the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) has faulted the wave of privatisation, commercialisation and concessioning of public utilities by both the Federal and state governments, saying it is opposed to the idea.

The group was speaking in veiled reference to the planned privatisation of four of the nation’s airports by the Federal Government and those undertaken by state government.

This was contained in a communique issued at the end of the 20^th plenary session of the NGC of AUPCTRE at the weekend and signed by its National President, Solomon Adelegun and General Secretary, Yussuf Lekke Zambuk.

They stated that their opposition to the idea is based on the fact that every government whether Federal or state has the responsibility to provide essential social services for its citizens, adding that privatising critical sector of the economy would therefore negate this basic objective.

The NGC-in session therefore resolved that, both the Federal and state governments contemplating in privatising should desist or face the wrath of the organised labour.

Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi had recently disclosed that the Federal Government would ago ahead to privatise The Lagos, Abuja, Port-Harcourt and Kano airports for improve efficiency and revenue generation and reposition the sector.

Since the disclosure, opinions have been divided. While some condemned the action as ill timed, majority of stakeholders said it is the best way to go.

A former managing director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) who pleaded anonymity, said management of airports by government was no longer fashionable globally, adding that airport business all over the world has become private driven,

According to the source, airports are transformed into private enterprises in such a way that their operational efficiency and financial accountability will increase because there will be balance sheet to be checked.

“More so is the fact that government is limited by the available funds for expenditures today, airports will probably be in the middle scale.

“What we are saying is that now is the time therefore for government to begin to look at ways to privatise the airports for operational efficiency and financial accountability.

The group, also in the communique said that it has put Ondo, Ekiti and Oyo States on notice to either immediately resolve the issue of paying outstanding salary, pension and gratuity arrears in their respective states or be prepared to face the anger of the organised labour.

It called on the states concerned to immediately release all the arrested labour leaders and pay up all outstanding salaries, allowances and gratuity due to the workers.

The council said it appreciated the Federal Government for the provision of bailout funds for payment of arrears of salaries, pension and gratuity to state governments, but regretted that most of the state governments have misappropriated the funds such that workers are owed two months to eleven months arrears of salaries, pensions and gratuity.

The duo called on the Federal Government to ensure that all states governments be called to account for the disbursement of the fund in the spirit of the current war against corruption.

They commended the Federal Government for its efforts in containing the menace of deadly Boko Haram insurgency.

“It is regrettable that while the Federal Government is working hard to overcome the challenges of Boko Haram, there are other serious security challenges emerging. These include the Islamic movement, the Fulani herdsmen, the Niger-Delta Avengers, the Biafra agitators. We call on the government to use dialogue with a view to resolving the perceived grievances.

Wole Shadare