FG’s Privatization Programme Makes Me Weep, Says NLC President

The NLC President who stated this at the weekend during facility tour of the National Iron Ore Mining Company (NIOMCO), Itakpe, Kogi State, said a process whereby government institutions are given to individuals for free in the name of privatization is worrisome.

“Providence has it that the president of NLC is a member of the National Council on Privatization (NCP) but when I saw that there was no or little impact that I would make to stop some of the privatization, I felt the best thing was to keep a distance but not completely withdraw myself because when decisions are taken I must state labour’s stand”, he said.

According to Omar, the issue of privatization is a long story.

“If you have to look at the chain of privatized institutions you will just weep”, he said.

“Also, there is a case of one institution that I would not mention, apart from the equipment and other things, government took a loan of about $100m to inject into that institution but less than two years later, government privatized it and sold it to an individual for $70 million. I think as Nigerians we have a right to point to the government that this kind of privatization is not in the best interest of Nigeria”, he said.

Omar said NLC would plead with President Goodluck Jonathan to pay attention to the issue of Ajaokuta Steel and NIOMCO because they are the soul of the nation’s development and that anything short of that, the nation cannot actualize its plan to become an industrialized nation.

Earlier, the Sole Administrator of NIOCOM, Engr. Yaro Abubakar Ibrahim, cited inadequate funding as the major challenge of the company; a development he said has led to the suspension of production.

Mr. Ibrahim, therefore, called on the NLC president to assist in any possible way in revitalization of the company for the federal government to realize its dream of making Nigeria become self-sufficient in steel production to support industrialization.