( CNN ) -- A Gulf Coast official accused BP of shipping workers into Grand Isle , Louisiana , for President Barack Obama 's visit to the oil-stricken area Friday and sending them away once the president left the region . Early Friday morning , `` a number of buses brought in approximately 300 to 400 workers that had been recruited all week , '' Jefferson Parish Councilman Chris Roberts told CNN 's `` Situation Room . '' Roberts said the workers were offered $ 12 an hour to come out to the scene at Grand Isle and work in what he called a `` dog and pony show . '' But , when Obama departed , so did the workers , he said , adding that he 's never seen more than 20 workers at the Grand Isle cleanup site since the effort started . BP Chief Operating Officer Doug Suttles downplayed the claim Friday evening , telling CNN it is not unusual to see people wrapping up work in the afternoon . `` These individuals are working out in the heat of the sun . These are long days . They start early in the morning and they stop early in the evening , '' he said . `` So the fact that they were leaving the location late in the afternoon was not unusual . It 's not associated with the president arriving . '' Suttles added that the workers would be back Saturday morning to continue working . The company hired to provide the cleanup workers told WWL , a New Orleans-based radio station , that it was told to beef up the cleaning work force five days ago . `` No , I did not put extra workers on the job because the president was coming , '' said Donald Nalty of Environmental Safety and Health , which was contracted by BP to help in the cleanup effort . An official at the oil cleanup command center told CNN that a temporary busing system had been established to shuttle the growing number of workers because of limited parking and housing accommodations in areas most impacted by the spilled oil . The official said trained responders were putting in 12 to 14-hour days . Roberts told CNN 's Anderson Cooper the hundreds of workers who showed up early Friday would n't speak to local emergency management officials . `` The sheriff 's office did manage to get one person to speak with them and that individual said they were hired yesterday and told to report to a staging area at 7:30 this morning , '' Roberts added . `` It just does n't add up . ''
NEW : Company hired to provide cleanup crews says it got order to beef up workers days ago . CNN : ` ` No , I did not '' Send workers for the president , boss tells radio station . BP beefed up cleanup workers just for a visit , local official says . Workers left when president left , city councilman says . BP denies allegations : ' It 's not associated with the president arriving '