TUC demands permanent incorporation of N70,000 transport allowance into workers’ monthly salaries.

The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, has strongly opposed the Federal Government's proposal to introduce an N70,000 transport allowance for workers, arguing that it is merely a temporary six-month intervention and not a sustainable solution. TUC Secretary-General Nuhu Toro explained during an interview with TVC News that history has shown wage awards in Nigeria are not reliable, citing many cases where such payments have not been honored by government agencies.

Toro pointed out that some agencies are still struggling to pay a wage award introduced in 2023, which underscores the risk of relying on temporary financial relief. He contended that instead of a one-time allowance, the N70,000 should be permanently incorporated into workers' salaries as part of transport or housing allowances.

This addition could potentially raise the current minimum wage to approximately N140,000, strengthening workers' negotiating position for future wage discussions. Toro also raised concerns about what would happen if the six-month allowance period expired without a new minimum wage agreement, questioning whether workers should continue to receive it if no wage increase ensued.

Another issue raised by the union was the exclusion of certain public service unions from the negotiations that led to the allowance, along with outstanding agreements with the Federal Government, including commitments related to judicial workers. TUC has already presented its demands to the government before the N70,000 allowance announcement and is still in talks with a government delegation led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

The union insists that workers should not accept a temporary arrangement instead of a permanent raise in their earnings. TUC has also proposed a salary of N300,000 for the lowest-paid worker, emphasizing the need for permanent wage improvements.