Former Vice-President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has criticised the Federal Government’s proposed N70,000 monthly transport allowance for public sector workers, describing it as an inadequate response to Nigeria’s deepening cost-of-living crisis.
In a statement released on Wednesday by the Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku argued that the economic hardship facing Nigerians extends far beyond transportation expenses and affects virtually every aspect of daily life.
According to him, the allowance, scheduled to commence in November, amounts to a short-term intervention that fails to address the underlying causes of rising living costs. “The cost of living crisis reaches beyond transport. Energy, food, rent and other essentials affect every part of daily life,” Atiku stated.
He noted that households and businesses continue to grapple with increasing expenses, citing small-scale entrepreneurs such as barbers, restaurant operators and shop owners who have struggled to cope with higher fuel and energy costs.
The former vice-president also questioned the decision to restrict the allowance to public service workers, arguing that millions of Nigerians in the private sector, informal economy and unemployed population face the same economic challenges.
“The public workforce is only a fraction of Nigeria’s population. A temporary allowance for some cannot solve a national crisis,” he said.
Atiku further called on the government to provide details regarding the implementation of the new minimum wage, including payment schedules, eligibility criteria for the transport allowance and the status of ongoing wage negotiations.
He contended that the six-month relief package would offer limited benefits given prevailing fuel prices, claiming that the amount could only purchase approximately 50 litres of petrol.
The ADC candidate accused the administration of relying on temporary palliatives to manage the effects of its economic policies rather than addressing the factors driving inflation and rising living costs.
“What Nigerians are witnessing is a government that set the house ablaze with its reckless policies, then pretends to fight the inferno by throwing ice cubes at the flames,” he said. Atiku also criticised previous government intervention measures, including fuel discount programmes, a 90-day cost-of-living initiative and the compressed natural gas (CNG) programme, arguing that they have failed to significantly ease the burden on citizens.
As an alternative, he proposed a transparently managed subsidy for fuel refined within Nigeria, insisting that such a policy could reduce pump prices while avoiding the corruption and inefficiencies associated with previous subsidy schemes.
He maintained that the country needs long-term economic reforms capable of lowering living costs, increasing household incomes and creating sustainable opportunities for workers and businesses. “Nigerians need lasting relief, decent wages and an economy that rewards honest work,” Atiku said
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