Groups beret Lagos Water Corporation over sack of 391 workers

The Amalgamated Unions of Public Corporations Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) and Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) have bereted Lagos Water Corporation (LWC) in Lagos State for sacking 391 workers.

In April, the LWC announced the termination of employment for 391 workers as part of its restructuring efforts aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and meeting organisational demands amid financial and operational challenges.

However, AUPCTRE rejected the dismissals, arguing that workers should not bear the brunt of the corporation’s current challenges.

In response to the protests, the corporation announced last week that it had disbursed compensation and other benefits to the disengaged staff. Managing Director Engr Mukhtaar Tijani emphasised that the corporation ensured affected employees received their entitlements according to public service regulations.

Nevertheless, CAPPA criticised the LWC’s management, denouncing what it termed “mischievous propaganda” regarding the payment of entitlements to the sacked workers.

In a statement signed by Media & Communications Officer Robert Egbe, CAPPA expressed shock and disappointment over the LWC’s attempt to portray the payment of entitlements as a magnanimous gesture.

It described this portrayal as a distortion of the truth and a mockery of the plight of affected workers, who have been deprived of their basic rights and livelihoods amid the country’s economic challenges.

It urged affected workers, their unions, and the public to stand firm in asserting their rights and resist any attempts to commercialise access to public water in Lagos State.