In a show of defiance against the Lagos State government, the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation, Civil Service, Technical and Recreational Service Employees led a protest on Wednesday over the sacking of 391 employees from the Lagos State Water Corporation (LWC).
The demonstration saw hundreds of workers marching from Ikeja Under-bridge to the state House of Assembly in Alausa, expressing outrage over the layoffs amidst the economic hardship plaguing many Nigerians.
Workers Accuse Sanwo-Olu’s Government of Violating Labour Laws
The protesters, joined by members of the Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government-Owned Companies, carried placards bearing inscriptions such as “Sanwo-Olu, go after contractors, leave staff alone,” “Respect the constitution,” and “Do not scapegoat us over the corruption of water corporation management.”
The unions contended that the sacking violated Section 20 of the Labour Act, which requires employers to notify trade unions or workers’ representatives of the reasons for and extent of the redundancy before terminating employment on account of redundancy
Nurses’ Association Joins Protest, Petitions Government
The Lagos State Secretary of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, Oloruntoba Odumosu, revealed that the association had petitioned the Head of Service on May 3, 2024, demanding the recall of the sacked workers.
“A meeting was held today (Tuesday), not in response to the letter, but they acknowledged receipt of it. They said no going back. They even went ahead to pay the five-month redundancy payment,” Odumosu stated.
The Lagos State government has maintained that the dismissals, which occurred in April 2024, were part of a restructuring effort aimed at improving the corporation’s efficiency.
However, the protesters believe the sack breached Section 20 of the Labour Law, which mandates employers to notify unions before resorting to layoffs due to redundancy.
