Over 5,000 local contractors, under the auspices of ‘Concerned Contractors owed by the Federal Government of Nigeria for 2024 Capital Projects’, are begging President Bola Tinubu and National Assembly to intervene for their payments after nine months of completing projects. They appealed to Tinubu and other leaders to come to their rescue during a press conference held in Abuja, where the Convener of the group, Jackson Nwosu read a press statement signed by him and the Secretary Concerned, RQS. MIQS. Babatunde Seun: Engr (Dr) Peter Adhekugu; Mr Chidi Kanu; and Mr O.F Agada. According to Nwosu, countless men and women who worked tirelessly across the nation to deliver the 2024 capital projects under the guidance and commitment of this administration are under serious pressure, and their hopes seem to fade away.
He said these projects have been completed, which obligations have been fulfilled. “Yet, for over Nine months now, our invoices remain unpaid.” However, he described the delay as inhuman, saying, “Contractors are drowning in debt, some have committed suicide, some have had their assets seized, families are suffering, employees remain unpaid, health challenges go unattended. “We are appealing for justice—justice in the form of timely payment for work already done. We have heard so much rhetorics of payments by office of the Accountant General of Federation, Federal ministry of Finance (OAGF/FMF) but no corresponding action to justify this. We ask not only for payment—but for the restoration of our credibility before financial institutions, before our families, and before our communities who look unto us as examples of diligence and patriotism. Your Excellency, distinguished leaders, the strength of any government lies in its ability to honour its commitments. We trusted the system ab-initio but the system is gradually failing us.
“The Renewed Hope Agenda promised by our beloved President is gradually eluding us. We appeal to Mr. President to urgently intervene, believing he has good listening ear. The Public Procurement Act, (2007) specifically Section 5(b), mandates that all procurement activities must be based on procurement plans supported by prior budgetary appropriations. This means that a government entity cannot formalize a contract unless it has ensured that funds are budgeted and appropriated to cover the obligations arising from that contract but so far, the reverse is the case.” Other contractors said they believe in positive development of the country, which they have done their part to go the extra mile to remain calm despite the pressure they are currently passing through, even some of their fellow contractors are dead. Meanwhile, they held a minute silence to honour the souls of the departed contractors whose families left behind are suffering, and chanted “All we are saying pay us our money.”
Also, speaking was the National President, Association for Public Policy Analysis, Chief Princewill Okorie, while showing solidarity and sympathizing with the contractors called on the government to give priority to local contractors in terms of payment for their jobs.
“In accordance with Section 88 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, the legislature, they have the responsibility, constitutional responsibility of oversight and investigation. So I will lend my voice to this meeting by calling on the Chairman of the Committee on Appropriation at the Senate and Chairman of the Committee on Appropriation in the House of Representatives to carry out investigation on why the contractors have not been paid monies for the jobs they executed. If that is not done, it means that the oversight and investigative responsibility of the legislature has not been done. So it wouldn’t be based on just looking at the executive arm. The executive arm is supposed to implement the budget, but the legislature that appropriates should monitor and ensure that the monies they appropriated are utilized.
“In accordance with Section 882B of the 1999 Constitution that gave the legislature power to investigate over corruption, waste, and inefficiencies in the utilization of the funds they have appropriated. They need to find out why the monies appropriated for these projects have not only been released and the contractors paid their monies. Secondly, it’s important for us to say that capital budget enhances execution of capital projects, which enables the government in their quest for new governance. To realize Section 42B of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended gives the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government, and if security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government, the roads that are constructed, bridges, hospitals, schools that are built are all meant to provide welfare and security.
“So where the capital budget is not implemented by paying the contractors that carry out capital projects, it wouldn’t be in the best interest of the nation, and the quest for new governance by the administration will be questioned if the projects that will provide welfare and security to Nigerian citizens are not executed”, he said.
