NUEE faults Atiku Abubakar move to privatize Nigeria’s refineries, the Rail Sector and the Transmission Company of Nigeria
Eberechi Obinagwam,
The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) has said that the three Point Agenda of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Atiku Abubakar, is dead on arrival
Atiku Abubakar is targeting to privatize Nigeria’s refineries, the Rail Sector and the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN.
According to a statement by NUEE General Secretary, Joe Ajaero, “Our attention has been drawn to Newspaper reports released by the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Abubakar Atiku, rolling out a three-point agenda, targeting Privatisation of Refineries, Rail Sector, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and breaking the monopoly of all other infrastructure operations.
“It is with a deep sense of patriotism that we inform Nigerians about the present motive of this Presidential Candidate who seems to want to finish what is left of our common patrimony as a Nation.”
NUEE noted that Atiku was the Chairman of the National Council on Privatization (NCP), a Government Committee entrusted with the responsibility of managing the privatization program initiated by the Olusegun Obasanjo administration to handle the disposal of Public Enterprises.
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“Some persons have been alleged to literally buy almost every enterprise on offer through their cronies and fronts,” NUEE said.
The statement queried that of the over 60 enterprises privatized when he became NCP Chairman in 1999, how many of them were functioning optimally?
“From the Osogbo Steel rolling mill which has become a glorified warehouse to the abysmal performances of the Privatized Generation Companies (GenCos) and Distribution Companies (DisCos) over eight (8) years after privatization.
“From Seventeen (17) out of the Eighteen (18) Companies sold in the Power Sector, none is yet to break even while the Federal Government has pumped in about 2Trillion naira as subvention to these Privately-owned Companies, power generation has nose dived from 4000 mega Watts to 2000 Mega Watts in 9 years”.
“As an organization, we had raised alarm over the years about the Security implication of handing over the entire (Security) Power Sector in the hands of private individuals.
Who are the ‘faceless’ owners of these Private Companies and why are they shrouded in so much secrecy?
“Since this privatization agenda commenced, many Nigerians lost their jobs, many Nigerians have died as a result of non-payment of their entitlements, many Nigerians are sick and hungry with their Children thrown out of school as the onslaught against Nigerian masses continues in the name of Privatization,” NUEE said.
However, the Union challenged Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to a debate on National Television to prove how this retrogressive Economic policy will impact positively the masses.
According to the union, “Never again shall we swallow the hemlock, Never again shall Nigerians make room for Private Gains, Public Disaster”.