2022 Workers’ Day: NLC,TUC call for suspension of power sector privatisation programme
Oredola Adeola
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) have jointly called on the Federal Government to suspend privatisation of the electricity sector over the inability of the private players to meet the electricity needs of Nigerians nearly a decade after the government handed control of the sector over to them.
The Organised labour made this known in a joint statement read by NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, at a ceremony to mark the 2022 May Day in Abuja, on Sunday.
According to him, the government should take advantage of the five-year review window in the Electricity Sector Privatisation Reform Act, already overdue, to scrap the electricity privatisation exercise.
Comrade Wabba said, “We also demand transparent investigation into the power sector privatisation programme, which we believe was hijacked by a few entitled Nigerians to corner the commonwealth without thought for value addition. Enough is enough!”
The organised law noted that the only sustainable solution to Nigeria’s energy crisis is rehabilitation and optimisation of local oil refineries and building of new ones.
On its part the Nigerian Government has revealed a plan to address the country’s power conundrum with a view to decentralize the national grid system and provide alternative grids with private sector investments.
Professor Yemi Osinbajo, Vice President made this known in his remark while speaking on the theme, ‘Labour, Politics and the Quest for Good Governance and Development’.
Osinbajo said, “We will crack the power conundrum, (the “up NEPA ” thing will stop) by decentralizing the national grid system, and by providing alternative grids with private sector investments.
The VP also noted that the government has commenced the Solar Naija Programme to connect 5 million homes with solar power which is part of the Government’s Economic Sustainability Plan.
