UPDATED: Reps suspend plenary over protest by indigenous contractors

The House of Representatives has suspended its plenary sessions for one week following a protest by indigenous contractors at the National Assembly complex.

The decision was taken on Tuesday after the adoption of a motion moved by the Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda, during plenary.

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The House also issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; Minister of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu; and the Accountant General of the Federation, Shamsudeen Ogunjimi, to pay all outstanding debts owed to local contractors and ensure the implementation of the 2025 budget.

The resolution followed a matter of urgent public importance raised by Mr Chinda, who informed the House of the contractors’ protest, which had disrupted movement in and out of the National Assembly complex.

Earlier in the day, the contractors barricaded the National Assembly gate, vowing to remain there for seven days and disrupt legislative activities if their demands were not met.

Presenting the motion, Mr Chinda said the House notes the plight of local contractors who had protested several times in the past and are presently demonstrating at the gate of the National Assembly, with plans to continue the protest for one week.

He added that the House also notes that the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Budget and National Planning, and the Accountant General were invited to a high-level meeting led by the Deputy Speaker, where they made commitments to ensure that local contractors were paid for jobs executed under the 2024 and 2025 appropriations. However, implementation of those assurances, he said, remains “abysmal.”

Mr Chinda further informed the House that the leadership of the parliament had earlier met with President Bola Tinubu and the relevant ministers, during which the president instructed the immediate payment of indigenous contractors and full execution of the approved budgets.

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He lamented that “several weeks thereafter, that instruction was not implemented.”

He noted that the non-payment of local contractors had caused severe hardship on the contractors and Nigerians generally, leading to tension and worsening poverty across the country.

Consequently, he urged the House to resolve that the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, and the Accountant General of the Federation be given seven days to pay all outstanding bills to local contractors for 2024 and commence full implementation of the 2025 budget.

He also called on the House leadership to ensure strict compliance with the resolution and report back within one week for “further drastic legislative action.”

The motion was unanimously adopted by the lawmakers.

Following the adoption, Ahmadu Mai Palace, a lawmaker from Zamfara, moved a motion for the House to adjourn in solidarity with the contractors.

“We should suspend all activities of the House for one week until we hear from the executive on this issue of non-payment and implementation of the 2024-2025 budget,” he said.

Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, who presided over the plenary, asked members, “You have given an ultimatum to the executive to act within seven days. Do we really have to stop sitting until we hear from them?” The lawmakers responded in the affirmative.

The Chairman of the House Committee on Rules and Business, Waive Ejiroghene, seconded the motion, arguing that the protest had caused serious inconvenience to members and staff, with contractors threatening to intensify their siege on the complex in the coming week.

Mr Kalu then put the motion to a voice vote, ruling that, “Based on the fact that the road is blocked by these contractors and that we will not be able to access here easily within the week, the House will adjourn to enable consultations with the executive and for this matter to be resolved within one week.”

The House unanimously adopted the resolution and adjourned plenary to resume next Tuesday.

Background

The protest was organised by members of the Association of Indigenous Contractors of Nigeria (AICAN), who accused the federal government of refusing to pay debts amounting to about ₦760 billion for contracts executed under the 2024 fiscal year.

The contractors said they had completed and verified several capital projects across key ministries and agencies, including Works, Agriculture, Education, and Health, but that payment warrants issued months ago were yet to be honoured.

According to AICAN, the non-payment has pushed many of its members into severe financial distress, as most sourced funds from commercial banks based on government assurances of prompt payment.

The group further alleged that foreign and non-indigenous contractors were being prioritised for payments and new awards, contrary to the government’s commitment to promote local content and economic empowerment.

Earlier, PREMIUM TIMES had reported that the House brokered peace between the federal government and the aggrieved contractors over the ₦4 trillion debt, with a resolution that payments should commence immediately.

In another follow-up report, this newspaper revealed that lawmakers had asked the Accountant General to produce evidence of ₦2.4 trillion said to have been paid to some contractors.