don’t sell refineries - NLC tells BPE

Labour is disturbed that the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) intends to sell the four troubled refineries.

The refineries are two in Port Harcourt, one in Warri and the other in Kaduna. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) said, it would oppose the plan.

There is also the proposal to commercialise certain federal institutions.

In a statement, NLC President Abdulwaheed Omar said: “It is scandalous that the same government which has always promised to use the gains from petroleum price increases, which it has received over the years, to reactivate existing refineries and build additional ones can turn around to announce the privatisation of refineries. This is clearly unacceptable, and the public have strongly opposed this attempt several times in the past, even on the floor of the National Assembly.”

Omar added: “ We are disturbed by the statement by the Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE, Mr. Benjamin Dikki, who was reported to have announced that plans have been concluded by the BPE to privatise refineries as well as commercialise the Nigerian Television Authority, the Federal Radio Corporation, the News Agency of Nigeria, Nigeria Films Corporation, Skypower Catering and Hotels Services and the Commodities and Exchange Commission as well as the partial privatisation of Bank of Agriculture and the Bank of Industries. He also announced the commercialization of National Parks.”

don’t sell refineries - NLC tells BPE