Contractors demanding payment for works executed under the 2024 budget blocked the main gates of the National Assembly complex on Tuesday November 4th, causing severe disruption to business at the legislature and forcing staff and visitors to wait outside as security operatives struggled to restore order. Eyewitnesses said contractors converged on the complex early in the morning, forming human barricades and preventing vehicle movement. The blockade came amid growing anger among indigenous contractors who say the federal government has failed to honour certificates and pay for completed projects. Inside the Assembly, lawmakers held marathon closed-door sessions to consider the fallout.
The protest followed repeated appeals by contractor groups and public pressure on the Executive to release funds for due payments. Sources at the National Assembly said leadership was exploring emergency engagement with the Presidency and the Ministries of Finance and Budget to find an immediate resolution and reopen access to the complex.
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