PSI, DGB commence campaign on transparency, decency in electricity, water, waste supply chain in Sub-Saharan Africa
The Public Service International (PSI) and DGB have hosted a Campaign and Strategy Meeting on ‘Promoting Transparency and Decent work in the Supply Chain in Electricity, Water and Waste Services in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The two-day meeting hosted in Owerri, Imo State, from October 2 to 3, in collaboration with the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) and civil society organisations, was aimed at enlightening trade unions, civil society activists and focal persons with the required skills and competences to effectively implement the project.
The participants were taken through lectures on elaborate strategies on how to engage legislators and policy makers in implementing concrete advocacy actions and campaigns. Among presenters at the campaign included the acting general secretary of AUPCTRE, Comrade Lawrence Alo, and national coordinator of the project, Comrade Abiodun Bakare.
In his welcome remarks, Comrade Bakare explained that the project had made tremendous impact on the trade unions and civil society partners, especially in Lagos where pressure by the project partners has stalled the plans of the state government to privatise water. Key presentations were made at the event.
They during the meeting are: ‘Influencing Policy and Decision Makers: Trade Union Advocacy Strategies’ taken by Professor Hosea Mande of the Kaduna State University; Campaign Against Privatisation In Africa: Lessons Learnt’ by Comrade Sani Baba of CFSF, and ‘Campaign Planning Strategy,’ as well as ‘Communication and Strategies of Building an Impactful Legislative Advocacy Campaign,’ both presented by the executive director of Renevlyn Development Initiative (RDI), Philip Jakpor.
The engagement offered participants the avenue to x-ray challenges to the three key sectors of water, electricity and waste, in the light of privatisation and making the following observations.
In the water sector the participants decried the dilapidated state of water schemes in the 36 states of the federation and Abuja, the federal capital territory, due to years of mismanagement and diversion of funds by the respective governments. They also frowned at the state of water utilities in Imo State where the meeting was held, describing the state’s water sector as comatose.
