The Federal Government has condemned the violent protest that occurred at the construction site of the new ECOWAS Headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement signed by its spokesperson Francisca Omayuli received by THE QUEST TIMES said security agents have been deployed to take over the vicinity for peaceful coexistence.
The statement reads “We received with grave concern, a report of the violent protest that occurred at the construction site of the new ECOWAS Headquarters along the Airport Road in Abuja, today, Wednesday, 21st
June 2023.
“The incident, which involved workers’ agitation at the site, disrupted ongoing construction work and left an expatriate injured.
“The Ministry wishes to inform the general public that it had since the 13th of June, 2023 been actively engaged in negotiations with relevant stakeholders, including the ECOWAS Commission, the National Union of Construction Workers and the NLC with a view to addressing the complaints and other Union matters tabled by the workers.
According to the statement, the negotiations had progressed and shown positive signs towards the
amicable resolution of the complaints. Therefore, the recent intrusion by touts into the construction site, which
is a diplomatic vicinity, constitutes a blatant violation of established regulations and is highly condemnable.
“In response to this regrettable development, the Ministry and the ECOWAS Commission contacted relevant security agencies, who deployed more personnel to the site to contain and bring the situation under control, while ensuring the safety of all the parties concerned.
“In this regard, the Ministry calls for restraint and urges all the parties to refrain from taking laws into their hands, while the relevant stakeholders continue to work to resolve the issues at hand, through constructive dialogue and adherence to legal procedures.
It added that any breach on the construction site by unscrupulous agents or individuals will not be
tolerated and will be dealt with in accordance with the law.
“On this note, the Federal Government wishes to reiterate its commitment to the successful completion of the new ECOWAS Headquarters in Abuja”.