House Of Reps Summons CBN Gov, Finance Minister Over Non-Payment To Contractors

The House of Representatives on Thursday summoned key officials from the Federal Government to explain the continued non-payment of contractors for completed projects dating back to October 2024, despite allocations in the 2024 Appropriation Act.

Among those summoned are the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Yemi Cardoso; Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu; the Accountant-General of the Federation, Babatunde Ogunjimi; and the Auditor-General for the Federation, Shaakaa Chira.

The motion to summon these officials was moved by the lawmaker representing a constituency in Delta State, Ezechi Nnamdi. The motion was adopted as an urgent matter of national importance.

In his presentation, Nnamdi expressed concerns about the financial distress facing contractors nationwide, stressing that despite funds being approved in the 2024 budget, many Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) have received less than 50 percent of their capital releases.

“This failure to honour verified obligations has led to widespread project abandonment, financial distress among contractors, and a negative ripple effect on the economy,” Nnamdi stated.

He warned that the continued delay in payments could spark mass protests, legal battles, and further deterioration in public infrastructure and service delivery.

Nnamdi added, “The non-payment has severely hindered the implementation of constituency projects and eroded public confidence in the government’s ability to deliver on its promises.”

Following the deliberations, the House resolved to summon the government officials to appear on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, to provide explanations for the delays and present a clear timeline for settling the outstanding verified payments.

In addition, the House mandated its Committees on Public Accounts and Budget and Economic Planning to launch a joint investigation into the systemic lapses that have stalled fund disbursement.

The committees have been tasked with reporting their findings within four weeks, along with recommendations for possible legislative action.

The investigation will also focus on accountability failures within the MDAs responsible for payment processing, further deepening the inquiry into the management of public funds.