The Corporate Accountability & Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has met and congratulated the newly elected executive of the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation, Technical, Recreational and Employee Services (AUPCTRE) in Lagos to solidify the partnership and collaboration of both organizations on the anti-water privatization campaign.
AUPCTRE has been an ally of CAPPA and Our Water Our Right Coalition mobilizing the labour movement in the campaign for democratic control and public ownership of water in the state.
The meeting held on Wednesday, March 22, 2023, on the occasion of this year’s World Water Day which focused on Accelerating Change to solve the water and sanitation crisis. The global campaign, called Be the Change, encourages people to act in their own lives to change the way they use, consume and manage water.
Speaking on behalf of the water union, Abiodun Bakare, the former secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Lagos, said the new executive emerged during the AUPCTRE delegate conference on September 21, 2022.
While introducing the new executives, Bakare said the members cut across different sectors which include water, fire service, LASTMA, National Directorate of Employment, LSDPC, Public Works Corporation, and Sports Commission, among others.
The 12-man new executive are Olawale Ige-Jenyo, Chairman, Oyekan Dare, State vice chairman, and Aribisala Kehinde Oluwafemi – State Vice-chairman.
Others are Adedoyin Temidayo, State Treasurer, Agosa Sunday, State Auditor, Okeowo Tope, Welfare, Bello Olalekan, State Secretary of Finance, and Olatunji Sholola, State Secretary
There is also Ngozi Edet, Chairperson, the Women Committee, Okojie Innocent, National Youth President and Lukman Balogun, Zonal Vice-Chairman
Akinbode Oluwafemi, Executive Director, CAPPA, congratulated the chairman for his emergence to lead a vibrant union like AUPCTRE.
Oluwafemi said CAPPA has been in collaboration with AUPCTRE since 2014 and the partnership cuts across all struggles from pro-democracy to water campaigns, environment among others,
He said the spirit of collaboration will continue with the union because of the critical role it plays in the economy, as it is clear that the first casualty of privatization is always labour and pledged CAPPA’s continued support for the union.
Responding on behalf of the newly elected executive, Ige-Jenyo Olawale, Chairman, thanked CAPPA for the sustained collaboration and promised to continue the partnership during their four-year term and beyond.
