Labour flays Lagos over irregular water supply

Workers under the aegis of the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) have frowned at the inability of the Lagos State Government to supply water to residents in the state in the last two weeks.

According to the workers, the development is an indirect attempt by the government to promote privatization of Lagos State Water Board under the guise that expenditure on public services is not only wasteful, but also inefficient to run a modern state.

The workers said the action of the state government contradicts its earlier agreement with the union and other stakeholders.

“The action of Lagos State Government has become more worrisome in view of the fact that the state government had promised in a formal letter responding to the agitations of the Union, Civil Society Organizations and the International Community against privatization of its water agency that it will not privatize its water”, the union said.

General Secretary of the union, Yusuf Lekke Zambu alleged that the state government is deliberately subjecting the innocent and good people of the state to undue hardship by refusing to provide water for the past two weeks.

Noting that the action was against principle of good governance, AUPCTRE warned that it will not hesitate to mobilize its members, other Civil Society Organizations and International Community to embark on a mass protest should the Lagos State government fails to restore water supply immediately to all nooks and crannies of the state.

“This is contrary to avowed promises made to Lagosians during the 2015 governorship electioneering campaign that the APC government, if elected will promote good governance by providing basic amenities and social services that will promote the welfare and well-being of the people of Lagos State; disappointedly, the reverse is now the case.

“It is on the strength of the above that the union sees the current non-supply of water to the good people of Lagos for the past ten days as a way of introducing privatization through the back door.

AUPCTRE wishes to remind the government of Akinwunmi Ambode that Lagosians did not vote his government into power to impose this avoidable hardship on them and therefore condemns in very strong terms the current water crisis in Lagos.”