N4trn debt: Reps broker peace between FG, contractors, payment begins Monday

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has successfully intervened to resolve the lingering dispute between the federal government and indigenous contractors, bringing to an end months of standoff over unpaid arrears.

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The breakthrough was announced in a statement issued on Thursday by his Chief Press Secretary, Levinus Nwabughiogu, who described it as a significant step in restoring confidence between the government and contractors.

The indigenous contractors staged a protest at the headquarters of the Ministry of Finance in Abuja to demand payment for capital projects executed in 2024, estimated at about ₦4 trillion.

During the demonstration, the Secretary of the Association, Babatunde Seun, explained that the contractors had previously met with the Accountant-General of the Federation, Shamseldeen Ogunjimi, and the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, over the delayed payments but without results.

He further alleged that during an earlier engagement, both officials promised that payments would be made “within 48 hours.” However, Mr Seun said only five of the association’s 5,000 members had so far received payment, leaving the majority still owed for completed projects.

Acting in his capacity as Chairman of the House Special Committee on Budget Implementation, a position he was recently appointed to by the Speaker, Abbas Tajudeen, Mr Kalu immediately convened an enlarged meeting in Abuja to address the matter.

The session brought together more than 80 contractors from across the country alongside their leadership.

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Also in attendance was Messrs Edun, Ogunjimi, and other senior government officials, as well as members of the House Committees on Appropriation and Finance.

The marathon meeting, which lasted for more than four hours, provided a platform for open dialogue. At its conclusion,

Mr Kalu announced that all parties had reached a consensus in the interest of the economy.

One of the key outcomes was the decision to commence payments to contractors beginning Monday, immediately after the Friday holiday, once the Central Bank reopens.

He stressed that the resolution was not only about clearing debts, but also about building trust between the government and the indigenous contractors who play an important role in national development.

Speaking afterwards, the deputy speaker expressed gratitude to the Speaker Tajudeen and his colleagues for entrusting him with the responsibility, noting that it demonstrated the House’s commitment to oversight and service.

He also commended President Bola Tinubu, for appointing diligent public officials who, in his words, displayed humility and responsiveness in addressing the matter.

He explained that members of parliament had cut short their holidays to deal with the crisis, underscoring its urgency.

According to him, “We saw the protest and asked them to come, let’s have a conversation. I want to thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR for appointing these gentlemen to occupy the positions they occupy.

“We had over four hours engagement and they left here smiling. We got the strategy in place, and we’re going to come back on the 21st of this month to review what we’ve done so far, how we’ve ticked the boxes, what needs to be done and the way forward.”

Mr Edun, commended Mr Kalu for his leadership, explaining that the meeting produced an orderly framework for resolving the backlog of payments.

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He noted that a timeline had been mapped out, commitments secured from the Accountant-General, and a systematic approach put in place to clear arrears.

He added that after the public holiday, the Central Bank would reopen and begin processing payments from Monday.

On his part, Mr Ogunjimi, corroborated this position, confirming that the government had already been paying contractors and would intensify the process with disbursements expected to start reflecting next week.

Leaders of the Association of Indigenous Contractors of Nigeria, who participated in the talks, welcomed the resolutions reached and praised the deputy speaker for his intervention.

They expressed confidence in the new arrangements and pledged to suspend their protest, describing the outcome as a lifeline that prevented further disruption of government activities and safeguarded the economy from potential shocks.