.Asks EFCC to investigate management
By Nkemdi Kanu
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Lagos State Chapter, and other civil society organizations on Monday June 3, 2019, shot down operations of the Lagos State Water Corporation.
The groups barricaded and closed the gates of the corporation’s headquarter, Ijora, while preventing workers from entering their offices.
After nearly three years of failed negotiations between the management of the corporation and organized Labour to attend to the workers’ demand, NLC said: “enough is enough unless all the issues at stake are properly addressed and demands of the workers met before we will rescind our action”.
The picketing started as early as 7.00am with the NLC and all its affiliate unions blocking the entrance gates with their vehicles, as no person was allowed to get inside for any operation.
The police were also stationed at the site of the protest to keep the peace should the exercise get out of hand but it was well organized and peaceful.
Over 20 affiliate unions of the NLC were present including Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE), Medical and Health Workers, National Union of Air Transport Employees, NUATE, NUT, Maritime Workers Employees, Food and Nutrition Workers, and NULGE, among others.
The reason for the picketing, according to the NLC, includes corrupt practices by the management of the corporation under the leadership of Mumuni Badmus, neglect of the welfare of the workers, supply of water which still remains epileptic for no good reason, as well as management plot to privatize the corporation.
Carrying placards with inscriptions: “Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu please save LSWC from total collapse and mismanagement of Mumuni Badmus and Bright Oridami grips”, “All Uganda contracts are scam: Tracecorp $450,000, 2ML $800,000, all for private gain”, “Osun River Basin financial grants diverted for private gain”, “EFCC needs to investigate activities of Mumuni Badmus since 2015,” among others, the protesters said they were not leaving the premises until their demands are met.
At the occasion, NULGE President, Comrade Ajose Afolabi, said that the injustice against the workers had become unbearable that Labour would no longer condone it. He said that it was sad that Mumuni Badmus would use a whooping N24 million for the cutting of grass, insisting that “the unanimous agreement is that he should be sacked because he has shown that he has nothing new to offer rather than destroying the cherished institution.”
Also, speaking with The Niche, AUPCTRE, Secretary-General, Comrade Biodun Bakare, disclosed that the leadership of Badmus introduced hardship and lack of foresight, stressing that the continued stay of Mumuni in office would no longer be acceptable as “he has run the corporation aground with all corrupt practices”.
He said that over 13 months operation allowance of the workers were still being owed, while “LWC workers are being subjected to slavery in their work schedule”.
The activist said that the protest would continue until “all contending issues are resolved but Mumuni Badmus must be sacked according to the agreement of organized labour.”
