Indigenous contractors have staged a protest at the ministry of finance in Abuja to demand payment of sums owed them by the federal government.
Some of the protesters were seen holding banners and placards that read: ‘Concerned contractors owed by federal government of Nigeria’, ‘It’s a crime against humanity for government not to pay contractors for about 360 days, ‘Payment delays is fraud not just injustice’, ‘No payment to contractor, no peace’ and ‘Contractors deserve payment, not fake promises’.
Last month, the House of Representatives suspended plenary for one week after the contractors besieged the National Assembly Complex.
They had accused the federal government of refusing to release the funds earmarked in the 2024/2025 budgets.
Subsequently, deputy spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Philip Agbese said President Bola Tinubu has directed Wale Edun, Minister of Finance, and Shamseldeen Ogunjimi, accountant-general of the federation, to commence the payment.
In September, Edun said the federal government had adopted a structured process to address outstanding obligations to contractors.
‘Under the leadership of the Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, we did hold a marathon meeting today where all the issues were discussed and a timeline was put in place and a way forward was mapped out and all parties at the end of it left knowing that contractors would be paid for jobs done and we have an orderly and systematic way of dealing with the backlogs which had accrued over time’, he said.
‘Once again, we commend the leadership of the house of representatives and the contractors for their willingness to sit down and dialogue.
‘The accountant-general of the federation made some commitments which helped us to chart the way forward’.
