The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), has expressed disagreement with the Federal government’s planned privatization of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and some federal government-owned hospitals.
Addressing the media at the end of its inaugural National Executive Council meeting (NEC), the President General of TUC, Festus Osifo, said that Congress was taking that posture because Nigerians have not enjoyed the dividends of similar privatizations done in the past.
The meeting is its first since the election of the new executive members about one month ago.
Comrade Osifo said that the TUC will not accept any form of privatization of government’s assets again, saying that the privatization of the Distribution Company PLC Discos and the Generation Company PLC Gencos, done years ago for effective and efficient service delivery failed as Nigerians are yet to “see anything better from that sector”.
“You know today, the government have made some announcements, that they are going to privatize TCN, the Transmission Company of Nigeria and that they are also going to privatize some federal hospitals in the country.
“As TUC we take a complete exception to this and as TUC, the NEC we frown at this because of the privatization that was done before now, where are we today?”
“In 2012, 2013, the privatization process started and at the end of the day, the Discos and the Gencos were privatized, but do we have more light today than we had pre-privatization…the answer is no” TUC President said.
According to him, most of the facilities privatized in the past ended up being sold to individuals saying that there is no guarantee that the same fate will not be the case with the planned privatization being peddled.
On the privatization of some federal government hospitals, the TUC said that it is like “adding salt to injury”, as people are already overstretched financially.
“Privatizing hospitals, it will be very costly for our hospitals to be privatized. That means healthcare is going to go beyond the reach of the common.
“Today things are difficult in our country, today, the common man has been battered, today, the living wage can no longer even pay our transport to work talk less of feeding our families or sending our children to school”, Osifo said.
He described the present challenges in the country as fundamental and called on the government as a matter of urgency to address and arrest them.
On the prolonged industrial action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities ASUU and other Unions in the Universities in Nigeria, the trade Union Congress called on the government to resolve the contending issues with the Unions stressing that the prolonged strike could not have been as a result of lack of finances on the part of the government.
“TUC as a body is here to protect our national interest. We will do everything possible to ensure that we engage the government, and also engage ASUU as well as to find an amicable solution.
“You will agree with me that where there is a will, there is always a way. Recently the Federal government spent about 1.4 billion naira to buy vehicles and donated it to the Government of the Niger Republic. If the government is serious, I can tell you that they will resolve this issue of ASUU within 48 hours.
“Go through the budgets and you will see the different budget heads. So, it is the value that is placed on education. The value that is placed on our University system is the reason why we are here today” TUC stressed.
The TUC addressed the issue of fuel subsidies saying there was no need for government to continue paying for fuel subsidies as the impact is not felt by Nigerians suggesting that government should rather use the money meant for fuel subsidies to meet the demands of University-based Unions.
The Communiqué also addressed the state of the economy and security among others.
The NEC also approved the appointments of the former Deputy General Secretary, Comrade Nuhu Toro and the former Assistant General Secretary Comrade Anka Hassan as substantive General Secretary and Deputy General Secretary of the Congress.
Olusola Akintonde
