International Right group protests over FG’s N20bn debt to local contractors

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

ABUJA–WORRIED by the conditions of many Nigeria’s indigenous contractors, an international human rights organisation has written a protest notice to the Federal Government to pay its indebtedness of N20 billion to local contractors to enable the contractors pay back loans they collected from banks to execute the projects.

The human rights group claimed that one of the local contractors from Benue State has died at the National Hospital, Abuja, for his inability to deposit N1million needed for his medical treatment while the Federal Government is allegedly owing him N5 million for project executed.

In the protest letter to government through the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi  Adeosun, signed by its Managing Director, Paul Okeh, the group lamented that some of the projects had since been completed and commissioned while they were yet to be paid by the government.

The protest notice titled, “Urgent demand for payment of over 20 billion Naira being monies/debt owed to local contractors for various contracts executed with the federal government” was signed by the national coordinator of the group, Barrister Victor Giwa.

While appreciating the Federal Government through the minister for the efforts in addressing the harsh economic challenges facings the citizens in the wake of the economic recession, the group noted that some of the contractors have developed different forms of ailments including hypertension asa result of non payment of the contract sum.

The letter stated, “We are an international Human right Organization saddled with the objectives of protection and defense of the human, social and economic rights of Nigerians against any form of extortion and abuse by any individuals, institutions and agencies of government.

“We pursue our objectives through protest and demonstration, media campaign, court actions among others.

“Your Excellency, Our attention has been drawn to the worrisome and pathetic conditions of numbers of Nigerians who executed contracts with the Federal government through various Ministries, Department and Agencies.

“Sir, these patriotic Nigerians honestly executed viable contracts, like construction of roads, schools, building and equipping hospitals, health centers, clinics, street lights, and construction of bore holes among many others.

“The contracts were aimed at improving the lives of people and communities in various State by the Federal Government through various ministries and parastatals in line with government agenda of improving infrastructure for social development.

“Your Excellency, these contractors in keeping with the mandate to timely execution and completion of their projects, took loans from financial institutions and other sources to fund and complete these projects.

“Interestingly, the contracts- projects have long be completed and commissioned for use in some cases by the government.

“But sadly, your Excellency, these contractors who have expended their resources and materials in execution of these contract- projects have not being paid their monies long after the completion of the projects.”

Continuing, the group claimed that, “the contractors have through various medium demanded and requested for their payment to the ministries and agencies, but their demands were met with false promises, delays, subterfuge and chicanery.

“The contractors, who are largely ordinary Nigerians with high hope from this government of change, are now highly indebted to their banks, families and friends, while others have lost their homes as a result of their inability to service their loans to pay off the capital sum.

“Others are sick with recorded cases of hypertension and high blood pressure.  Some have even lost their lives as a result of financial pressure, while some have their children and wards sent out of schools for inability to pay school fees. Others who are small business owners have laid off their staff.

“The  case of  one  56 years old contractor  from Benue  State  who  recently lost his life in National Hospital, for his failure  to deposit  the sum of =N= 1M, even when he is owed over =N= 5 Million by this government speaks volume of the plight of the local contractors.

“It is even more pathetic, that while our local contractors are queuing awaiting endlessly and dying without their monies, this government through your Ministry has prioritized the payment of foreign contractors, who in most cases have received large chunk of their contract sum.

“It is even painful that this is coming at time when the Government of President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressive Congress (APC) is touting the policy of encouraging indigenous businesses and trades.

“Based on the foregoing, we in Advocates of People Right & Justice (APR) are by this letter demanding an urgent intervention in form of full payment of these local contractors.

“This demand is strengthened by the information available to us that the said sum of =N=20 Billion has already been earmarked and approved for the payment of these local contractors.

“It is our position, Your Excellency that the failure, refusal or delay in effecting the payment of these local contractors is illegal, unconscionable, unconstitutional and a  violent abuse of their economic rights as enshrined in the Constitution which you have sworn to protect.

“We therefore request that you use your good office to effect the payment of the sum to these contractors.

“Your Excellency, we shall lead, embark and mobilize  a massive protest with thousands of theses contractors  in the premises of the Ministry of Finance,  14 days after the receipt of this letter to demand their payment  thereafter.”

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