Fred Ezeh, Abuja

Anger was let loose on Monday morning as aggrieved workers of the National Library of Nigeria (NLN) shut down the office in protest of unfair treatment and inability of the Federal Government to genuinely respond to their demands. 

The workers, under the umbrella of the Joint Research and Allied Institution Sector Unions, said the decision to shut down the office was to as a result of government inability to implement the agreements it had with the workers.

The workers, in their large numbers, barricaded the entrance to the NLN headquarters as early as possible, denying visitors and other workers entry and exit opportunity from the building.

They said they have given government enough time to implement their agreements but years have passed without any sign of that, hence the need to reawaken the consciousness of government to the plight of the workers.

Comrade Shade Adepoju, who led the peaceful protest was unhappy that after peaceful dialogue with the government, the agreed demands are yet to be implemented.

She said that few of the demands bothers on establishment of Research Institutes Commission of Nigeria (RICN), separation of research funds from the capital budget, implementation of 65 years retirement age.

Others are, payment of peculiar allowances to the deserving workers, 12 months arrears payment, improved funding of research institutes among several others.

They vowed to continue their peaceful demonstration until Federal Government and other relevant stakeholders commence the implementation of the agreement reached with with union in 2009.