By Mashe Umaru Gwamna
Trade unions and civil societies have called for urgent reversal of electricity sector and all existing privatisations in the water, and waste sectors and suspension of ongoing or planned discussions with World Bank and other IFIs on the privatisation of public assets.
They called for adoption of Public-Public Partnerships (PUPs) as a sustainable, democratic, and just alternative.
“PUPs have shown proven success in delivering quality public services without profit motives.”
This was contained in a communique issued at the end of Value Chains 2025 National Public Utilities Summit,
organized by Public Services International (PSI), in collaboration with DGB Bildungswerk Bund (DGB BW).
The summit, which took place in Abuja on Wednesday, was themed; Promoting Transparency and Decent Work in Supply Chains in Electricity, Water, and Waste Services in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The meeting brought together trade unions and civil society organisations from Nigeria, Kenya, and Uganda under the PSI–DGB BW project titled “Promoting Transparency and Decent Work in Supply Chains in Electricity, Water and Waste Services in Sub-Saharan Africa – Phase II.”
The Nigeria trade unions were Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) and the National Union of Electricity (NUEE) while the civil society were represented by Philip Jakpor, Executive Director of Renevlyn Development Initiative (RDI), Comrade Leke Zambuk, representative of Citizens Free Services Forum (CFSF) and Comrade Vicky Urenma, executive director of Child Health Organisation.
The one-day gathering served as a critical platform for stakeholders to review the impact of the PSI-DGB Project on advocacy for decent work and campaigns against privatization of the water, electricity and waste sectors. Participants also advocated for public control over essential services through Public-Public Partnerships.
The stakeholders urged governments to reinvest in human capital within the public sector.
“Governments must allocate sufficient resources for the training, motivation, and retention of public sector workers to promote efficiency, innovation, and transparency.”
They called for strengthened social dialogue and collaboration among civil society, trade unions and other crucial sectors that can hold government to account.
“Put people before profit by halting the privatisation of essential services and reaffirming the public sector as the cornerstone of democratic development, equity, and sustainable livelihoods.
“There is need for the PSI-DGB to critically support education projects among workers on the Public-Public Partnership that is at its infancy in Nigeria.”
The communique was endorsed by the following:
1. Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE)
2. National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE)
3. Citizens Free Service Forum (CFSF)
4. Renevlyn Development Initiative (RDI)
5. Child Health Organisation
Kenya
1. Union of Kenya Civil Servants (UKCS).
Never miss a moment! Get the stories shaping Nigeria, delivered straight to your phone. Follow Peoplesdaily Newspaper on WhatsApp for breaking news, exclusive reports, and the headlines everyone will be talking about, before anyone else.
