Workers under the aegis of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives; the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees; and the Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government-Owned Companies on Wednesday protested against the sacking of 391 of the Lagos State Water Corporation (LWC) by the state government.
The protest rally kicked off at Ikeja under-bridge.
The protesters carried different banners with inscriptions like “Water Corporation needs more staff not sack!”, “Recall sacked staff of Lagos Water Corporation”, “Sanwo-Olu, employment is a right”, among others, are demanding the reinstatement of the sacked workers.
In April, the state announced the disengagement of the staff members, which it described as “redundant staff”.
LWC in a statement shared by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s senior special assistant on New Media, Jubril Gawat, on his official X handle, stated that the disengagement of the staff was part of ongoing restructuring in the corporation aimed at enhancing operational efficiency.
According to LWC, the decision to streamline the workforce was in response to the perennial challenge of water scarcity in the state.
No fewer than 425 staff of the corporation were served last year.
The corporation explained that its inability to reliably supply water has led to the shrinkage of its customer base, thereby affecting revenue generation.
“The Lagos Water Corporation has announced the disengagement of 391 redundant staff as part of its ongoing restructuring efforts aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and meeting the evolving demands of the organization. The decision to streamline the workforce is in response to the persistent challenge of water scarcity in the state despite extensive infrastructure projects.
“LWC has faced substantial financial and operational challenges, struggling to generate adequate revenue to meet its obligations. The corporation’s unreliable water supply has resulted in a shrinking customer base and declining revenue.
“In October 2023, the Corporation initiated a comprehensive Personnel Audit to realign its operations. Engr. Mukhtaar Tijani, the Managing Director, stated that the audit, led by the Office of the Head of Service since August 2023, identified the need for phased actions. The first phase involved the disengagement of 425 temporary staff with outdated contracts. The ongoing second phase targets permanent staff whose roles or offices have become redundant. The upcoming third phase will focus on retaining competent technical staff to enhance the utility and commercial efficiency of the Corporation.
“As part of the restructuring efforts, a performance improvement process has been established for the retained permanent staff, along with the formulation of precise job descriptions and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to foster organizational excellence and efficiency,” LWC said.
The corporation noted that in line with the public service rules, the state government has approved the payment of three months’ salary in lieu of notice and redundancy payments. This, it said, is in addition to other statutory benefits.
“In line with the Public Service Rules, the State Government has approved the payment of three months’ salary in lieu of notice and redundancy payments, in addition to statutory benefits such as pensions for the affected staff.
“Furthermore, the Corporation has adopted a new organogram to enhance operations and financial sustainability. This strategic shift underscores the Corporation’s commitment to delivering sustainable and reliable water supply to the residents of Lagos State.
“The Lagos Water Corporation appreciates the hard work and dedication of the affected staff members over the years; however, this action is deemed imperative for the development of the state,” the statement added
