The lingering disagreement between the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) over the Federal Government’s proposed N70,000 monthly transport allowance for public sector workers has escalated into a bitter public confrontation between their presidents, Joe Ajaero and Festus Osifo.

The two labour leaders exchanged sharp words during an appearance on Channels Television’s breakfast programme on Monday, with Ajaero describing Osifo as an absentee president who resides in the United States, while Osifo branded the NLC president a disaster to the Nigerian labour movement.

The latest exchange followed the TUC’s rejection of the six-month transport allowance announced by the Federal Government, with the congress insisting that workers would be better served by a salary increase.

The Federal Government had announced the N70,000 monthly allowance in a memorandum of understanding reached after a meeting with NLC representatives in Abuja last Tuesday.

However, the TUC rejected the arrangement 24 hours later, arguing that the government should increase workers’ salaries rather than introduce a temporary transport intervention.

Ajaero subsequently faulted the TUC’s position, arguing that it was inappropriate for the organisation to reject an agreement it was not directly involved in negotiating.

But Osifo maintained that discussions about the allowance predated Ajaero’s meeting with the government, insisting that the TUC had also been engaged on workers’ welfare.

Defending the NLC’s role in securing the allowance, Ajaero said the agreement was the outcome of collective bargaining following an ultimatum issued to the Federal Government.

“When he (Festus) said I did not negotiate N70,000 transport allowance, I did not know what he meant,” Ajaero said.

He explained that the government had requested four days to respond to the NLC’s ultimatum, after which both parties resumed discussions and reached several agreements, including the transport allowance.

“After every collective bargaining, the product is the agreement. It was in that agreement that the issue of N70,000 was reached,” he added.

The NLC president also questioned the whereabouts of the 90 compressed natural gas (CNG) buses reportedly donated to the TUC by the Federal Government.

Taking his criticism further, Ajaero accused Osifo of being an absentee leader who allegedly lives in the United States and only returns to Nigeria to attend meetings.

“He is an absentee president of the TUC. He does not live in Nigeria. He comes in from the US to attend meetings and rush back. He serves on the board of PENCOM,” Ajaero alleged.

He challenged Osifo and the Nigeria Immigration Service to establish whether the TUC president had spent four to five months in Nigeria during the year.

Responding during his right-of-reply session on the programme, Osifo expressed disappointment over Ajaero’s comments, saying they reflected poorly on the state of the labour movement.

“I can boldly say that Joe Ajaero is a disaster to the trade union movement in Nigeria,” the TUC president declared.

Osifo insisted that the NLC had no authority to negotiate on behalf of TUC members, stressing that both organisations were independent labour centres with distinct responsibilities.

He also dismissed the allegation that he lived outside Nigeria, describing the claim as shameful.

According to him, before leaving office as president of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) in August, he had been actively visiting workplaces to negotiate better salaries and conditions of service for members.

Osifo disclosed that he was currently in the United Kingdom attending a training programme on advanced leadership and management.

He further accused Ajaero of lacking the necessary negotiation skills, alleging that Nigerian workers were being shortchanged because of the NLC president’s approach to collective bargaining.

“Ajaero has never led any union in Nigeria, that is why he does not understand the principles of negotiation,” Osifo said.

“What I will recommend for him is training and retraining.”

The public exchange has further exposed the growing divisions between the country’s two major labour centres at a time when workers are demanding improved wages and better welfare conditions amid prevailing economic pressures.