Public Servants Back FG’s N70,000 Transport Allowance For Workers

No Result View All Result Home News Politics Business Sport Football Health Entertainment Education Opinion Editorial Columns Others LeVogue Magazine Conferences National Economy Contact Us Hausa Edition Home News Politics Business Sport Football Health Entertainment Education Opinion Editorial Columns Others LeVogue Magazine Conferences National Economy Contact Us No Result View All Result No Result View All Result Public Servants Back FG’s N70,000 Transport Allowance For Workers by Adegwu John 3 hours ago in Business, Cover Stories, News Share on WhatsAppShare on FacebookShare on XTelegram The Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC), trade union side, has thrown its weight behind the federal government’s approval of a N70,000 monthly transportation allowance for Nigerian public servants, describing the arrangement as a welcome development that would help cushion the impact of rising transportation costs on workers.

The Council also defended the agreement reached with the federal government on October 27, 2026, dismissing objections by the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and insisting that the negotiations were conducted through constructive engagement involving the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), JNPSNC and the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU).

The position was contained in a circular signed by the national secretary of JNPSNC, Comrade Gbenga Olowoyo, and addressed to national presidents and general secretaries of affiliated unions, as well as chairmen and secretaries of state Joint Public Service Negotiating Councils.

Olowoyo said the N70,000 transportation allowance would be paid to public servants for six months, beginning from November 2026, to provide relief from the increasing cost of commuting to work.

He called on state and local governments to adopt the arrangement and complement the federal government’s intervention, arguing that workers at the subnational levels also faced the same economic difficulties.

According to him, the negotiations that produced the agreement were exhaustive, lasting more than six hours before both parties reached a consensus on the various demands presented by organised labour.

The circular further explained that the agreement secured the implementation of the long-delayed 40 per cent peculiar allowance, which is expected to reflect the N70,000 national minimum wage.

On the disagreement with the TUC, Olowoyo argued that the congress was not part of the negotiations that produced the October 27 agreement, although he acknowledged its right to express an opinion on issues affecting workers.

He maintained that the agreement was reached by parties directly involved in the negotiations and should not be undermined by the position of an organisation that did not participate in the discussions.

The Council also challenged the TUC to negotiate a higher transportation allowance if it believed the N70,000 approved by the federal government was inadequate.

It said any improved offer secured by the TUC would further benefit public servants.

The circular also highlighted agreements reached on outstanding welfare demands in the health sector, particularly the adjustment of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS), which health workers had reportedly sought for 13 years.

He expressed confidence in the federal government’s commitment to the latest agreement, commending the government, NLC, JNPSNC and JOHESU for reaching what he described as an arrangement that placed workers’ interests above union affiliations.

The circular reads in parts, “The payment of (N70,000) seventy thousand naira transportation allowance to Nigerian workers is a welcome development.

“The national leadership of the JNPSNC has been inundated with anxieties through several calls seeking clarification on the agreement signed with the federal government which led to the approval of (N70,000) seventy thousand naira transportation allowance for all Public Servants in Nigeria and what triggered rejection of same by the Trade Union Congress. (TUC )

“As a matter of fact, all the items contained in the agreement signed on the 27th October,2026 was as a result of constructive engagement and exhaustive negotiation at a meeting presided over by the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment Alhaji Dr Mohamed Maigari Dingyadi

“The meeting was not only tough but also took more than six hours before both the federal government and labour sides could enter into terms”.

“The clarification became necessary because of the position taken on the matter by the Trade Union Congress (TUC) that it rejected the approved N70,000 transportation allowance of which TUC was never part of the discussion ( although, Trade Union Congress has explicit right to express its opinion on any matter the TUC is directly involved but not on what it was not part of at any stage of the engagement or negotiation with the federal government)

“However, it will be highly commended that the Trade Union Congress can get a higher amount above N70,000 already agreed to by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC) and Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) which will be an added benefit to public servants.”

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