NLC faults N90bn budget for power

NIGERIA Labour Congress, NLC, yesterday,
faulted the plan by Federal Government to
spend N90 billion in this year’s budget on the
power sector that was already private sector
driven.
Even as it declared that the budget was anti-
workers and anti-masses, NLC said: “We do
not see the necessary levers upon which to
anchor the aspirations of ordinary Nigerians in
it.”
In a statement, NLC factional President, Joe
Ajaero, said: “Why would government be
allocating such huge expenditure to a sector
that it has almost pulled out from? Or, is the
government planning new investments in new
Electricity Distribution Companies, DISCOs,
and Generation Companies, GENCOs?
“If so, we hope that the intentions are not to
use public funds to establish these
companies, only for them to turn around and
hand it over to the business arm of the ruling
class. Perhaps, govern-ment is anticipating
putting in more money in the already
privatised entities as a fabled stabilisation
measure or bail-out.
“We can summarise that this budget is anti-
workers and anti-masses as we do not see
the necessary levers upon which to anchor
the aspirations of ordinary Nigerians in it. We
do not see increasing employment in this
budget, neither do we see deliberate efforts at
transferring wealth to the ordinary people.”