CNG Buses: Arewa Group Questions NLC, TUC Over Deployment

Convener of Arewa Think Tank, Muhammad Alhaji Yakubu, has questioned the distribution and utilisation of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses provided by the federal government to organised labour, urging the Nigeria Labour

Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to account for them.

Yakubu said workers deserved to know how the buses allocated to the two labour centres were being deployed and the extent to which they had helped ease transportation costs.

He spoke against the backdrop of a disagreement between NLC president, Comrade Joe Ajaero, and his TUC counterpart, Comrade Festus Osifo, over the federal government’s interventions and the distribution and utilisation of buses allocated to the labour organisations.

The Arewa convener said the buses were provided to address transportation challenges, reduce commuting costs and improve workers’ welfare.

He urged the NLC and TUC to provide information on the buses’ locations, their operational status, and the number of workers benefiting from the intervention.

Yakubu said organised labour should also communicate the benefits of government interventions to its members and the public, noting that workers needed accurate information about measures introduced to improve their welfare.

He said, “Nobody is saying that the government is perfect or that Nigerians are not facing economic difficulties. We understand the challenges. But criticism must also be balanced with recognition of genuine efforts.

“You cannot ignore everything a government is doing and expect the public to have a complete picture of what is happening.”

He further urged the two labour centres to resolve their differences and engage constructively with the Federal Government, noting that persistent disagreements would not address the economic challenges facing Nigerian workers.

Yakubu also said labour organisations should acknowledge interventions aimed at improving workers’ welfare while continuing to hold the government accountable for areas requiring attention.