The Campaign for Democratic and Workers Rights (CDWR) has issued a strong condemnation following the recent dismissal of approximately 370 workers from the Lagos State Water Corporation (LSWC). This mass termination, which occurred on April 15, 2024, has been criticized for its alleged violation of national labor laws and the harsh conditions under which it was conducted.
In a detailed statement, Comrades Rufus Olusesan and Chinedu Bosah, the national chairperson and secretary of the CDWR respectively, highlighted the severity of the workforce reduction, which saw nearly two-thirds of the regular employees at LSWC lose their jobs. This followed an earlier layoff in December 2023, where over 450 casual workers, some of whom had been with the corporation for more than a decade, were also let go without a transition to regular staff positions.
The group's leaders pointed out that the dismissals breached Section 20 of the Labour Act, which requires employers, including governmental bodies, to consult with workers' representatives or trade unions before implementing mass layoffs or redundancies. "The way these layoffs were handled—amid intimidation and with the presence of armed security—only adds to the injustice felt by the affected families," stated Olusesan.
Moreover, the advocacy group expressed concerns that these actions are indicative of broader intentions to privatize the water services in Lagos, comparing potential outcomes to those experienced in the privatized electricity sector, where consumers have faced increased exploitation and inconsistent services.
"The government's failure to properly fund and manage the water sector has had dire consequences," added Bosah. "UNICEF reports that contaminated water at the point of consumption leads to the deaths of 117,000 Nigerian children annually from waterborne diseases such as typhoid and cholera. Privatizing the service is not the solution; instead, we need significant public investment to ensure all citizens have access to safe and affordable water."
The CDWR is now rallying public support and urging the Lagos State government to reconsider its approach to managing the water corporation. They argue for a reinvestment in the public sector to upgrade infrastructure, improve service delivery, and most importantly, secure the livelihoods of the workers by reinstating those unjustly terminated and regularizing the positions of long-term casual workers.
"This is not just about job security for hundreds of families but also about the human right to water—a fundamental need that should not be compromised or commodified at the expense of the public," Olusesan emphasized.
The group plans to organize public forums and engage in dialogue with government representatives to advocate for policy changes that prioritize public welfare over private profit. They also intend to seek legal redress for the affected workers, asserting that the law has been disregarded in the pursuit of privatization agendas.
As the campaign gains momentum, the CDWR calls on all stakeholders, including the media, civil society, and the international community, to support their efforts to ensure a fair resolution to the crisis at the Lagos State Water Corporation and to uphold the rights of every citizen to clean and accessible water.
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