SEWUN tells FG to scrap BPE over failed privatization of auto sector 

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

ABUJA — THE Steel and Engineering Workers’ Union of Nigeria, SEWUN, Automobile and Precision Sectors, has called connected the Federal Government to scrap the Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE, alleging that it has failed woefully successful its mandate to revitalize the nation’s automobile assemblage done privatization.

SEWUN successful a solution astatine the extremity of its 2025 Annual Industrial Relations Seminar held successful Abeokuta, Ogun State, claimed that each automobile institution sold nether the BPE-led privatization programme has either collapsed oregon conflict for survival.

It alleged that the privatization process was riddled with corruption and lacked transparency, arsenic companies were sold to individuals without the requisite method know-how oregon fiscal capableness to tally them.

The Union successful the solution said: “It is astonishing to enactment that each the automobile companies owned by the Federal Government and privatized by the Bureau of Public Enterprises person closed shop. The origin of this disfigured concern is that BPE corruptly sold these companies to radical who possessed nary knowledge, method skills nor the funds to manufacture oregon assemble vehicles.”

A communique jointly signed by Comrade Oyabugbe Sunday, President General of SEWUN, and Comrade P. E. Okonma, General Secretary, emphasized that the nonaccomplishment of the privatization programme has contributed importantly to the illness of the automobile manufacture and the nonaccomplishment of thousands of jobs. 

SEWUN insisted that the Federal Government indispensable urgently reappraisal the full privatization argumentation and instrumentality decisive enactment to revive the car sector, informing that continued inaction could plunge the manufacture into full extinction.

“The automobile assemblage of the system is not doing well,” the national declared. “We impulse the Federal Government to, arsenic a substance of necessity, person a 2nd look astatine the privatization workout which has woefully failed. There is nary azygous automobile institution privatized that is functioning good today.”

Beyond the car assemblage crisis, SEWUN besides addressed broader nationalist issues, peculiarly Nigeria’s worsening economical woes. 

The national called connected the Federal Government to intensify efforts successful occupation creation, infrastructural development, healthcare, and acquisition arsenic captious steps to tackling unemployment, hunger, insecurity, and inflation. It warned that existent inflationary trends are mostly driven by excessive authorities spending, urging the medication to follow prudent fiscal measures.

“It is an established economical rule that ostentation successful Nigeria contiguous is driven by authorities spending. Hence, we telephone connected governments to walk little arsenic a means to tame ostentation and springiness alleviation to the Nigerian people,” the connection read.

On the lingering information situation crossed the country, SEWUN threw its value down the instauration of authorities police, arguing that it would curb insecurity by implicit 70 percent, contempt concerns implicit imaginable maltreatment by authorities governors. 

“We articulation different well-meaning Nigerians to advocator for the constitution of authorities constabulary which we judge volition trim insecurity by implicit 70 percent,” the communique added.

The national besides weighed successful connected the ongoing statement implicit substance subsidy, rejecting immoderate determination to reinstate the erstwhile subsidy authorities but cautioning against authorities policies that permission Nigerians astatine the mercy of hunger and poverty. 

SEWUN urged the authorities to present a restructured, people-centered involution to cushion the effect of reforms connected the masses.

“Fuel subsidy successful its aged signifier should not return, but neither tin authorities wantonness the radical to hunger and inflation. What is needed is simply a restructured and people-centered involution that protects the masses portion ensuring Nigeria’s resources are utilized productively,” it stated, informing that nary economical betterment tin beryllium deemed palmy if it deepens poorness and misery.

The national further expressed solidarity with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) successful its propulsion for the reconstitution of the boards of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) and the National Pension Commission (PenCom). According to SEWUN, this is important to forestall mismanagement and diversion of workers’ contributions.

In closing, SEWUN commended its nationalist enactment for achievements recorded successful the past year, particularly efforts to ...