NLC Rejects Proposed Sale Of Refineries, Others

The Nigeria Labour
Congress (NLC) has vehemently opposed the plan by the Federal Government to sell or  partially  privatise some public properties, including  the  refineries.
The congress President, Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar, stated this in a statement  issued by the  union that the haste with which  government  seem determined to sell off  public properties to members of the ruling class and their cronies under the guise  of making them more efficient  was alarming to Nigerians.
Omar said the organised labour was disturbed by the statement by the Director-General, Bureau  of Public Enterprise (BPE), Mr. Benjamin Dikko, who allegedly announced that plans had been  concluded by the BPE to privatise the nation’s refineries as well as commercialise  certain  public  corporations of the Federal Government.
The  labour  leader said the union views such act as unacceptable  stressing that it is scandalous for the government which had always  promised  to use  the gains from petroleum price increase which it has received over the  years to reactivate existing refineries and build additional ones to now turn around to announce the privatisation of refineries.
He declared that the Federal Government’s action is clearly unacceptable and the public has strongly opposed the attempt to undo Nigerians.
He said there  was no clear evidence to show  that the previous Federal  Government privatisation  attempts  had succeeded.
The labour boss cautioned government against abdicating its  social responsibilities by selling off everything that delivers services to the people.
He said the situation is unwarranted especially now that  unemployment  and poverty have become  endemic.
It would be recalled that BPE has said  the Federal government would commercialise NTA FRSC, Film  Corporate of Nigeria, Bank of Agriculture, Bank of Industries, Hotel Services among others.

Philip Okparaji