A group of indigenous contractors in Nigeria has claimed that some of its members have begun losing houses and other properties to creditor banks due to the federal government’s failure to pay for contracts executed.
This is as the contractors, under the aegis of All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria (AICAN), vowed to continue protesting on the streets until the government pays all their outstanding fees.
Naijaonpoint understands that the group has pegged the outstanding amount at ₦4.7 trillion.
Speaking during Tuesday’s edition of Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, the association’s president, Jackson Ifeanyi, warned that they won’t stop the protest until they receive all their payment.
“Most of our members borrowed heavily from banks and are now losing their properties. “We will continue to occupy until all verified payments are settled,” he declared.
The AICAN president also accused the federal government of issuing dud checks and payment “warrants” which had no cash backing.
It would be recalled that tension erupted on Monday at the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja as local contractors staged another protest over alleged unpaid debts owed by the Federal Government.
The protesters, operating under the aegis of the All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria (AICAN), blocked the main entrance of the ministry, preventing movement in and out of the premises.
Trouble started when the Minister of State for Finance, Doris Uzoka-Anite, arrived at the ministry. Security operatives attempted to force a passage for her into the building, a move that was strongly resisted by the demonstrators.
According to The Cable, the situation degenerated into a scuffle, during which a gunshot was heard as security personnel tried to disperse the crowd.
The contractors accused the Federal Government of repeatedly shifting its position on the settlement of outstanding debts, noting that the delays have stalled the completion and commissioning of several projects across the country.
According to them, many projects that were fully executed, and in some cases already commissioned by government officials, remain unpaid.
During Monday’s protest, the contractors claimed the Federal Government did not release the monies earmarked for them in the 2024/2025 budgets.