The industrial face-off between the Ogun State Government and organized labour remains unresolved, as a crucial meeting held on Thursday between Governor Dapo Abiodun and top labour leaders ended without any breakthrough. The gathering, which took place behind closed doors at the Governor’s Office in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, began around 4 p.m. and was attended by senior representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), and the Joint Negotiating Council (JNC).
Despite the length of the discussions, labour leaders reportedly maintained a firm stance, rejecting all entreaties made by the government’s negotiating team. According to reliable sources familiar with the meeting, union representatives insisted that the strike action would persist until the governor personally addresses their demands and offers a public assurance to offset the backlog of workers’ entitlements.
At the core of the dispute is the alleged failure of the Ogun State Government to remit over ₦82 billion in outstanding pension deductions, gratuities, and other benefits owed to civil servants and retirees. The unions had earlier declared an indefinite strike on Tuesday, grounding public services across the state in a bid to press home their demands.
An insider who spoke on the condition of anonymity revealed that labour leaders were unmoved by any form of indirect assurance from government emissaries, stressing that only a direct and unequivocal commitment from Governor Abiodun himself would be acceptable.
“There was no resolution whatsoever. The union leaders stood their ground and clearly stated they would not suspend the strike until the governor makes a public declaration, promising to settle the outstanding pension and other benefits,” the source stated.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the state government nor the organized labour had issued any official communique regarding the outcome of the meeting. However, the strike action continues to paralyzed public institutions across Ogun State, with workers complying fully with the labour directive to down tools.
Meanwhile, tension remains high as residents and civil servants await the next line of action from both parties. Labour leaders are expected to issue further directives in the coming days, should there be no concrete response from the state government.
The lingering impasse has deepened concerns among workers, retirees, and stakeholders, many of whom accuse the government of treating labour grievances with levity. The unions have vowed not to back down until there is a transparent and actionable plan from the governor to address their long-standing demands.
