Members of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, on Tuesday, protested at the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja over poor welfare, non-payment of allowance arrears and other emoluments for workers.
The aggrieved workers of the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority, under the aegis of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, accused the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, of withholding their statutory entitlements despite several appeals.
The protest, which started early in the day, created a tense atmosphere at the ministry complex. Many staff members and visitors found it difficult to access the building as the union members blocked entry points and refused to allow anyone through.
The workers, dressed in red T-shirts and with placards, locked the gate of the ministry, depriving vehicles from going in and out of the premises and forcing workers who came to work to return home.
The usually busy entrance of the ministry was taken over by the protesting workers who expressed their frustration through chants and inscriptions on their placards.
The messages on the placards conveyed a clear demand — immediate payment of allowances owed to staff. Phrases such as “Pay Us Our Entitlements” and “No More Delays” were prominently displayed as the protest continued throughout the morning.
Speaking with journalists, the Industrial Relations Officer of the authority,
Patrick Solomon, said the management of the ministry was “insensitive” to the workers’ requests.
“We are here to protest the insensitivity to our requests and demands as a union and as members.
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“We had certain challenges, and we have used all avenues to resolve the issues, but there were no listening ears. Our IGR in the office have been withheld for nothing less than 15 months.
“It has been very difficult to operate in the office, and that has been very difficult for us. Most importantly, allowances have not been paid. We have been on this issue with the minister for a very long time now, and it’s obvious he is not ready to listen to us,” he said.
Efforts by ministry officials to calm the situation and open a channel of dialogue were rebuffed by the protesters. A senior staff member of the ministry who initially attempted to engage with the union members was turned away.
Later, Mr. Raymond O. Omachi, the Permanent Secretary in charge of Special Duties at the ministry, came to address the crowd at the gate but was also refused an audience.
The protesters insisted that they would only speak with the Minister of Finance, Mr. Wale Edun. According to them, previous attempts to resolve the matter with lower-ranking officials had yielded no results.
“We will not listen to anyone else except the Minister,” one of the union members was overheard saying, while others echoed his demand.
As of press time, there was no official statement from the Ministry of Finance regarding the protest or the status of the unpaid allowances.
It remains unclear whether the Minister will meet with the TUC as demanded or when the issue will be resolved.
This latest demonstration adds to the string of industrial actions in recent months linked to labour grievances over salary arrears, benefits, and welfare in several government ministries and agencies.
The TUC’s insistence on ministerial-level engagement may be signaling a new approach by labour unions to hold top government officials directly accountable for addressing workers’ demands.
Security personnel were seen around the premises monitoring the situation, though the protest remained peaceful.