The Traffic

OGUN SHUTDOWN: NLC Strike Grounds Courts, Ministries Over Pension Crisis

Government activities across Ogun State have come to a standstill as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and allied unions commenced an indefinite strike, locking out workers, halting services, and paralyzing critical institutions.

A News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent who monitored the situation in Ota on Monday observed a total lockdown of key government establishments. From the Magistrate’s and High Courts to the Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Secretariat, the gates remained shut, with only security personnel turning away visitors.

The NLC had earlier instructed civil and public servants to withdraw their services over the government's failure to implement the Ogun State Pension Reform Law and remit over ₦82 billion in workers’ contributory pension deductions—a breach that has persisted for 14 years.

Lawyers and stakeholders lamented the toll on judicial and administrative processes. One legal practitioner, Temitayo Banjo, said he came to court to perfect bail for a client but was left stranded. "I wasted money on fuel this morning, only to find the court locked. This shouldn’t be happening,” he said.

At the High Court in Ota, Kunle Carew, another lawyer, decried the strike’s ripple effects. “Court delays hurt justice. The longer this lingers, the more citizens are denied their rights,” he said, urging the government to act swiftly.

Local government staff echoed similar frustrations. Mrs. Olubunmi Odusanya, an official at Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government, described the situation as “unjust,” noting that workers—the engine room of government—have long been neglected.

“We’ve been suffering in silence for too long. It’s time the government stops pretending and addresses our plight,” she added.

Workers insist the pension crisis poses a serious threat to their retirement security, accusing the state government of violating the pension law by withholding deductions meant for their future.

With ministries grounded and the judiciary inactive, pressure mounts on the Dapo Abiodun-led government to engage labour leaders and restore normalcy before the strike plunges the state into deeper administrative and legal paralysis.

By Haruna Yakubu Haruna