N4trn Debt: Lawmaker excited at FG-Contractors dispute resolution

The Deputy Spokesperson for the House of Representatives, Philip Agbese, has commended the Speaker, Abbas Tajudeen, and his deputy, Benjamin Kalu, for their decisive intervention in resolving the long-standing dispute between the federal government and indigenous contractors.

Mr Agbese commended the presiding officer of the lower chamber while speaking with journalists on Friday in Abuja.

Mr Tajudeen had, through his Chief of Staff, Jakes Azumi, announced the constitution of two special ad-hoc committees.

One, chaired by Mr Kalu, was mandated to address contractors’ grievances over the non-funding of constituency projects. The second, led by former Deputy Speaker Idris Wase, was tasked with investigating allegations of lopsided recruitment within the National Assembly bureaucracy.

Within 24 hours of this announcement, Mr Kalu convened an expanded meeting involving the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, the Accountant-General of the Federation, Samsudeen Ogunjimi, and over 100 indigenous contractors drawn from across the country.

Following extensive deliberations, the committee, chaired by Mr Kalu, facilitated a resolution that effectively ended the contractors’ prolonged standoff with the federal government.

As part of the agreement reached, payment to contractors is scheduled to commence on Monday, 8 September.

Mr Agbese commended the speed and effectiveness of Mr Kalu’s intervention, noting that it brought relief to contractors who had endured years of agitation.

He described the development as proof of the House leadership’s commitment to ensuring that projects reach grassroots communities in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

“This swift intervention by His Excellency, Kalu-led Committee, has greatly solved more than half of Nigerians’ problems. You know a hungry man is an angry man. And it is when a man is hungry that he would appreciate a plate of food. These contractors have actually been agitating, now succours have come their way, as they would be smiling to the banks as from Monday next week,” he said.

Mr Agbese further highlighted the track record of the 10th House under Mr Tajudeen in mediating disputes between the government and stakeholders.

He recalled the role of the House in averting industrial actions between the federal government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), as well as between the government and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

He also noted Mr Tajudeen’s direct engagement with Nigerian youth during periods of tension, where marathon meetings helped to secure peaceful resolutions.

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“What that tells us is that, with Abass Tajudeen heading a strategic arm of government as speaker, the president can always go to bed with his eyes fully closed as well as the youth and other stakeholders having a government that they are sure will protect and serve their interest, irrespective of the hour of the day,” Mr Agbese remarked.

The lawmaker expressed confidence that the resolution would have ripple effects across society, as contractors are breadwinners whose families, dependents, and associates will benefit from the payments. He urged contractors and Nigerians at large to continue to trust the leadership of the 10th House, assuring that both the legislature and the executive remain committed to delivering the promises contained in the 2024 and 2025 budgets.