Operations at the National Assembly were disrupted on Wednesday as aggrieved local contractors, lawyers, and civil society activists barricaded the major entry and exit points of the complex In protest over an alleged N3tn debt owed to them by the Federal Government.

The demonstration brought vehicular movement to a halt from the Assembly gate through the Federal Secretariat axis in Abuja, forcing lawmakers, staff, and visitors to seek alternative access routes.

Plenary and committee activities were also affected, with some legislators reportedly delayed outside the premises.

Brandishing placards and chanting solidarity songs, the contractors vowed to sustain the blockade ?for as long as it takes? until payment alerts hit their phones for government projects they claimed to have completed.

Speaking during the protest, the National President of the All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria, Jackson Nwosu, said the group was left with no choice after years of unmet promises.

?We are here because the Federal Government refused to pay contractors, and we have brought the case to the parliament to address our grievances,? he said.

?These things are capital projects that had already been executed, and we have been pushing for payment since 2024. They are owing our association alone over N3trn.?

Nwosu said the group has held several meetings with senior government officials to resolve the issue, but without result.

?We have had meetings with the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Accountant General of the Federation and even met with the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, sometime around September 4. He came in to intervene.

?But we have heard that the problem is from the presidency. Yesterday, a senator came to assure us that our matter will be looked into. So we will continue to block the entrance of the National Assembly until we get our alerts.?

The latest protest comes just 24 hours after a similar blockade forced lawmakers to suspend plenary on Tuesday.

In response, the House of Representatives on Wednesday went into a closed-door executive session immediately after convening, with discussions believed to be centred on the escalating contractor unrest and its implications.

The private session lasted over two hours before lawmakers relocated to Room 028 for further deliberations. As of 3:00 p.m., the meeting was still ongoing, with no official briefing issued to journalists.

The contractors, said to be owed for projects linked to the Federal Government?s capital releases under the 2025 fiscal cycle, have accused authorities of repeatedly shifting payment timelines despite verification and clearance processes already completed.

Wednesday?s blockade marked the second day of sustained protests, leading to traffic lockdowns across the Three Arms Zone and prompting calls for urgent intervention to prevent the standoff from derailing legislative business.

The House Is expected to reconvene later to resume plenary once consensus is reached behind closed doors. (The PUNCH)

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