Osifo: Ajaero did not negotiate N70,000 transport allowance for workers

President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Festus Osifo, has accused his Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) counterpart, Joe Ajaero, of falsely claiming to have negotiated the Federal Government’s N70,000 transport allowance for public sector workers.

Osifo said discussions over the allowance had started before Ajaero’s meeting with government representatives, insisting that the NLC president neither initiated nor negotiated the arrangement.

The TUC president spoke during an interview on Channels Television while reacting to Ajaero’s criticism of the congress for rejecting the six-month transport allowance.

The Federal Government had announced the N70,000 allowance on Tuesday in a memorandum of understanding issued after a meeting with NLC leaders in Abuja.

However, the TUC rejected the arrangement on Wednesday, arguing that workers needed improved salaries rather than a temporary transport allowance.

Ajaero subsequently faulted the TUC for rejecting the agreement, saying the congress should have negotiated separate terms with the government if it was dissatisfied with the outcome.

But Osifo dismissed the NLC president’s claim, saying the government had contacted the TUC several days before the meeting with the NLC.

“I want to inform Nigeria that Ajaero never negotiated a transport allowance for Nigerian workers. He never did that,” he said.