NUR Threatens To Resume Suspended Strike If Federal Govt Embarks On Railway Privatisation

The leadership of organised workers in the transportation sector under the umbrella of Nigeria Union of Railway Workers (NUR) has threatened to resume its suspended strike if the Federal Government decides to privatize the railways.

The National President-General, Comrade Innocent Ajiji made this known while speaking with newly elected executive members of Labour Writers Association of Nigeria (LAWAN) in his office in Lagos and said what the Nigerian Railways needs is autonomy not privatisation.

He lamented that, “Right now, the Railway is experiencing strange occurrences whereby our train is being hijacked with kidnappings of innocent passengers. If when the train is being threatened by kidnappers, bandits, vandalism of rail lines while armed forces, police, other security forces are under the control of the Federal Government, is it when it is thrown into private hands that the appropriate policing of railway equipment and passengers?

“Let us remember that none of the privatised companies like NITEL, Daily Times, PHCN has ever worked, none has achieved the objective which is turnaround development. If all those privatised companies have not yielded the expected progress, is it railways that are complex in nature that should be left in the hands of private investors whose main interest will be profit-making?”

Also speaking, the Secretary General, Comrade Segun Esan while responding to LEADERSHIP Weekend question on what would the union do should FG through back door unbundle the corporation,  re-emphasized that the union would not disclose more steps on what they will do if the corporation is unbundled into four parts in accordance with their plans.