NUEE seeks reversal of electricity privatisation

The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) has urged total reversal of privatisation exercise of electricity as the existing infrastructure is currently malfunctioning.

National President, NUEE, Martin Uzoegwu, at a press briefing yesterday in Lagos, said with installed capacity at 12,522 megawatts (mw), the nation had not been able to generate beyond 4,000mw, which is insufficient for the population of 200 million people.

Uzoegwu said this year marks the eighth anniversary of the privatisatiion exercise, and the same issues have remained unsolved. Citizens and industries still do not have reliable power supply.

Also speaking, General Secretary, Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE), Sikiru Waheed, implored governments in Nigeria to develop political will and swing into action to improve water infrastructure for regular water supply to the citizens.

Waheed said privatisation should not be seen as the only option for reviving water facilities across the country.

He, therefore, advised policy-makers to embrace democratic control of water that is environmentally sustainable and provide decent work as the true representatives of the people.

Waheed said in the year under review, the unions had equally observed that some states are still bent on privatising their water resources. Of particular concern is the report we are getting from Lagos, Ekiti, Plateau, Bayelsa and Abuja, the federal capital territory.

He explained that in the case of Lagos, the union is still concerned about the state government’s failure to give a blueprint on how it intends to address water crisis in the state.

“In Ekiti, we have equally noted with concern the state government’s reforms in the sector with financial support of the European Development Fund.

“We are also monitoring the situation in Plateau where the Water Sector Law signed by the present government was hurriedly passed on the eve of the valedictory session of the Eight Assembly. Similar initiatives are ongoing in several states of the federation and as is the case of Lagos, the voices of crucial stakeholders, including labour, are excluded,” he said.