Former presidential aide and TV presenter, Dr Reuben Abati, has questioned the Federal Government’s decision to restrict its N70,000 monthly transportation allowance to public sector workers, arguing that employees in the private sector are equally affected by rising transport fares and fuel prices.
Abati made the remarks on Wednesday during a discussion on the government’s transportation support plan for public servants.
He said the policy failed to account for the financial pressure faced by workers outside the public service, noting that the rising cost of transportation affects people regardless of where they work.
“So, federal government now said there is 70,000 naira transportation allowance for workers that are working in the public service.
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“Well, I have an issue with that. Why is it only the public service? It’s not only organised labour that is affected in the public service, everybody is affected.
“Private sector, who is going to give us 70,000 naira transportation costs? We all go to the same market. No, we are all buying fuel at a very high cost,” Abati said.
He described the arrangement as discriminatory, arguing that private sector employees also need support to cope with the rising cost of living.
Abati also expressed concern about the implementation of a separate government directive to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), saying its expected benefits had yet to become evident.
“And the directive to NNPC, that has not even happened. We have not seen it, so we are all affected.
“So this is discriminatory,” he added.
Tribune Online reports that the Federal Government approved the N70,000 monthly transportation intervention after a conciliation meeting with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Abuja on Tuesday.
Abati also questioned the timing of the initiative, suggesting that political considerations could have influenced its introduction.
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