Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has faulted an alleged plot by the Lagos Water Corporation (LWC), and the Lagos State Government to lay off more of the corporation’s workers, despite recently sacking 425 contract staff without compensation.
A statement issued in Lagos by Media and Communications Officer of CAPPA, Robert Egbe, quoted the Executive Director of CAPPA, Akinbode Oluwafemi, as saying that he expressed “great displeasure” at the information and urged the LWC to respect workers’ rights.
Oluwafemi’s comments followed the LWC’s disclosure of the disengagement plans by the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreation Services Employees (AUPCTRE).
AUPCTRE said the plan came to light on Monday, December 18, 2023, during a meeting of the state leadership of the union with the LWC’s Managing Director (MD), Mr. Mukhtar Tijani.
Reacting to the information, Oluwafemi backed AUPCTRE’s resolve to reject the planned sack, adding that the government’s action seemed like the prelude to a plot “to hand the public water infrastructure of Lagos to lurking corporate interests at the expense of public servants who have so far committed their lives and service to the state.” Moreover, he noted that this approach contradicts Mukhtar’s previously stated vision for the Corporation.
In October 2023, the MD of LWC mentioned during an interview with Global Water Intelligence, his plans to revamp the LWC and focus on existing staff to make it a ‘‘more attractive place to work.’’
“But the forewarned layoffs in January run counter to this narrative. Mukhtar Tijani’s promise of making the corporation a better workplace now rings hollow in the face of these impending mass layoffs. This is no way to treat a workforce!” Akinbode insisted.
The transparency watchdog has been at the forefront of upholding water rights in Africa.
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Oluwafemi’s comments echoed that of the AUPCTRE’s National Chairman, Benjamin Anthony who affirmed in a statement on Tuesday that AUPCTRE was opposed to the privatisation agenda in the country, “knowing that the consequences would be dire for citizens if that agenda was allowed.”
While berating the Lagos state government for threatening its workers with layoffs, Anthony expressed displeasure with how the LWC’s management had treated its workers without inclusion and dignity.
AUPCTRE and CAPPA are partners in the “Our Water Our Right” campaign to promote public ownership and democratic control of water resources. Over time, the coalition has offered recommendations to the Lagos State government, focusing on public-public partnerships and the democratic management of water infrastructure, rather than public-disempowering approaches that border on the privatization of an essential commodity and human right.
Repeatedly, the water campaigners have presented evidence showing the failure of water privatization schemes across the world, including Africa. Such evidence includes the high price of water, massive layoffs of workers, water scarcity and intermittent shutoffs, all of which contrast sharply with the false promises of privatizing companies.
CAPPA urged communities, workers and well-meaning Nigerians to resist the actions and plans of the Lagos state government to dismiss vulnerable workers, commodify the provision of water, exacerbate the hardships of citizens, and jeopardize public welfare for corporate interests.
On December 7, 2023, the LWC announced that it had disengaged all its temporary staff members as part of its ongoing restructuring efforts, adding that this would right-size its human resource requirement in line with its current operational needs.
