Members of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) of Nigeria on Tuesday shut down the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja, protesting poor welfare, unpaid allowance arrears, and other outstanding worker emoluments.
According to Persecondnews, the aggrieved staff of the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA), represented by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), accuse Finance Minister Wale Edun of withholding their statutory entitlements despite repeated appeals.
The protesting workers, dressed in red T-shirts and carrying placards, locked the ministry gate, preventing vehicles from entering or exiting and forcing employees to return home.
Patrick Solomon, the NNRA’s Industrial Relations Officer, told journalists that the ministry’s management was “insensitive” to the workers’ demands.
He said: “We are here to protest the insensitivity to our requests and demands as a union and as members. 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 is obvious he is not ready to listen to us.”
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