Plan protest in Lagos tomorrow
The Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE), Renevlyn Development Initiative (RDI) and Joint Action Front (JAF) have taken a swipe at the Lagos State Government for the “unlawful sack” of 391 workers of Lagos State Water Corporation (LSWC).
The groups, during a media briefing, yesterday, also disclosed their plan for a protest in Lagos tomorrow, May 8, 2024, to press home their demands on the sacked workers and the way forward for the corporation.
They alleged that the disengagement of the workers was used to cover up the ineptitude of government-handpicked management of the corporation, past and present.
Interventions at the briefing came from the National President of AUPCTRE, Benjamin Anthony; Lagos State Secretary of the union, Abiodun Bakare; Executive Director of RDI, Philip Jakpor and Achike Chude of JAF.
The groups, while absolving the disengaged workers of any blame for the decline in water provision and services in the state, urged the state government to probe the mismanagement of funds by successive managements of the corporation.
They alleged that about N15 billion was earmarked by the state government for contracts that were not carried out or shoddily done.
This, according to them, include N4 billion for the construction of Otta-Ikosi Waterworks in 2007, which is still not working; N3 billion spent on the construction of an Independent Power Plant (IPP), which included an additional N180 million for monthly on fuelling in 2010 and N897 million released for the rehabilitation of Iju and Adiyan Waterworks in 2018 and N789 million released for rehabilitation of mini and micro waterworks same year.
Anthony said that on April 15, 2024, members of staff of the LSWC, who had carried on their duties strenuously and legitimately despite unpleasant work conditions, resumed in the office only to receive sack letters from the Tijani Mukhtar-led management on the allegation of redundancy.
According to him, before the latest disengagement exercise, in November 2023, about 450 contract workers engaged by the former management to complement the work of the permanent members of staff were also booted out unceremoniously.
Jakpor said: “We find it absurd and untenable that the illegally- disengaged members of staff of LSWC will be used as scapegoats for the decline in water services in Lagos, which should be laid solely on the doorsteps of successive managements handpicked by the state government. There is no discussion on this. The workers should be recalled.”
Chude maintained that the three organisations and their partners would engage in legitimate actions to press for the reinstatement of the sacked workers and a probe of the management of the corporation.
