Tinubu told us he's not allowed to use his private jet to cut costs  —  NLC President

The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, said President Bola Tinubu has made some personal efforts to reduce the costs of governance but his moves were rejected.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Ajaero said the President disclosed this to the leaders of organised labour during their private meeting with him on Wednesday, August 2, 2023, following their protests against fuel subsidy removal.

Asked if the union leaders asked Tinubu about government officials cutting the costs of governance amid his economic reforms, Ajaero said that line of questioning led to the President’s reason for his staff size.

According to him, the President said that instead of complaining about his numerous Special Advisers, the union leaders should see their employment from a job creation perspective. 

Ajaero further said that the President informed the union leaders that in his bid to personally reduce the cost of governance, he opted to use his private jet but the move was rejected for security reasons.

“He (Tinubu) took his own case for example. He told us that if you come to his fleet of cars, that it was large and he made efforts to reduce it and he was told that it’s a security issue, Ajaero said.

“He equally went further to say that he prefers to use his own private jet and they told him no, it’s a security issue, he must use the government jet. And he went further to say, even himself, that he’s using only a two-bedroom flat.

He added that the President maintained that he was trying as much as possible to reduce the cost of governance.