The Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service, Technical and Professional Services Employees (AUPCTRE) has criticised the continued outsourcing of government services, saying the policy is contributing to job losses and weakening the effectiveness of public institutions.
The union’s national president, Benjamin Anthony, raised the concern during an interview with journalists in Abuja on Sunday.
Outsourcing involves the engagement of private contractors or external firms to handle duties that would otherwise be performed by directly employed government workers.
Anthony said AUPCTRE had maintained its opposition to excessive outsourcing, privatisation and commercialisation of public services because of their negative impact on employment, workers’ welfare and service delivery.
He argued that the practice was preventing skilled workers from being directly employed, thereby increasing unemployment and discouraging young Nigerians from developing technical skills needed for national growth.
“Outsourcing is creating unemployment because skilled workers are no longer engaged directly. If this continues, young people may lose interest in acquiring technical skills that are important for development,” he said.
The union leader urged the government to reconsider its outsourcing approach, protect existing jobs and invest more in skilled professionals, describing them as essential to an efficient public service system.
Anthony also blamed outsourcing for the decline of maintenance culture in government facilities, noting that contract workers often lack the same level of commitment and ownership shown by permanent employees.
According to him, government workers previously took responsibility for maintaining public offices because they considered them their own workplaces, but the situation has changed with the increased reliance on outsourced personnel.
“The worker who was there before felt it was his own office and had the responsibility to maintain the environment, but outsourcing has changed that,” he said.
He added that many public offices, including federal secretariats, had deteriorated because outsourced maintenance services were not being carried out with the same dedication and efficiency.
Anthony warned that continued outsourcing could discourage young Nigerians from pursuing technical and vocational careers, which he described as vital to the country’s development.
He called on the Federal Government to review its policy, prioritise direct employment of skilled workers and strengthen public institutions through investment in human resources.
The AUPCTRE president maintained that properly motivated workers would contribute more effectively to improving public service delivery, while calling for policies that promote job security, productivity and decent employment opportunities.