The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) and the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) have jointly called on the Federal Government to immediately revoke privatisation licenses granted in the power and water sectors.
In a joint statement released after their meeting in Kano, the unions declared: "We as Labour and trade unions have asked the federal government to reverse with immediate effect the privatisation of the sectors, because Nigeria was better off when the sectors were under government."
Ayuba Barde, NUEE's North West Zonal Organising Secretary I, emphasized that the privatisation policy has had severe negative consequences on the nation and requires urgent reconsideration.
"From inception, we called the attention of Nigerians that this policy government is bringing on board is not good for the country because we work in the sector and know its strengths and what needed to be put in place before the policy takes off, but Nigerians didn't support us, thinking we had our motives," Barde stated.
He further explained that the current reality has vindicated their position: "Today, Nigerians live to tell the story themselves. The supply is low and people are paying for the services they are not getting. From the billing system, the metering, these investors are just interested in profit maximisation rather than just reinvesting in the sectors."
Barde alleged that the sectors were handed over to government allies without proper valuation, resulting in frequent grid collapses, persistent blackouts, and excessive billing practices that burden Nigerian consumers.
Supporting this position, AUPCTRE's Acting General Secretary, Lawrence Ilesanmi, argued that essential utilities should remain under government control: "Power sector is not supposed to be privatised because it is under the basic social services that are supposed to be subsidised by the government, but it is dodging that responsibility and inviting private sector to come and produce and distribute them."
Ilesanmi warned that privatisation exposes citizens to greater risks, citing environmental damage from excessive borehole drilling following the privatisation of water services as an example of the negative consequences.
The unions' call comes amid growing public dissatisfaction with electricity service delivery across Nigeria, with many communities experiencing prolonged blackouts despite paying higher tariffs.
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