Power: Trade union warns Yar’Adua over collapsing economy

By CHRIS OCHAYI
THE Federal Council of the Nigeria Civil Service Union (NCSU) has decried the poor power supply across Nigeria, warning that the country’s economy will experience total collapse if urgent step is not taken to address the problem.

The trade union, which stated this in a communiqué issued at the end of its two-day retreat on the promotion of Trade Union Ethics and Standards held in Owerri, the Imo State capital, also derided the
slowness in the implementation of the 7-point agenda of the President Umaru Yar’Adua administration.

According to the communiqué, “the participants expressed disappointment on the slow implementation of the President’s & Point agenda and condemned in particular the continuous deterioration of power supply in the country”.

In the communiqué signed by the union chairman, Comrade L.U Amaechi and secretary, Sir GC Anucha, respectively, it condemned what it described as “the present high tax regime” of the Federal Government vis-à-vis poor salary paid to workers in the public service.

While calling on the government to effect positive review of the tax system to reflect the present economic realities, the body queried the rationale for the Federal Government planned deregulation of the downstream oil sector of the economy.

It said, “participants questioned the rationale for the planned deregulation of the downstream oil sector by the Federal Government, and warned that any attempt to implement this, would worsen the already devastated condition of the Nigerian masses”.