N4trn Debts: Contractors’ Protest Enters Day Two at Finance Ministry

The ongoing protest by local contractors under the aegis of the All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria (AICAN) for the payment of N760 billion out of the total of N4 trillion being owed them by the Federal Government of Nigeria entered the second day yesterday at the federal ministry of finance.
At the start of the protest on Tuesday, the contractors urged the Minister of Finance, Mr Wale Edun, to fulfil his promise to release N760 billion as the first tranche of payment.
AICAN President, Mr Jackson Nwosu, who spoke through the association’s Secretary-General, Mr Babatunde Oyeniyi, said the minister gave the assurance during several meetings held after the association suspended its November 6 protest following the intervention of the Senate spokesperson, Sen. Adeyemi Adaramodu.
Checks yesterday showed that the protest was already in its second day, with the entrance to the ministry barricaded, sleeping mats and cooking items also seeing around the premises of the expansive ministry.
Some of the contractors who sopne to our reporter, vowed that they would continue to occupy the ministry until their money was released.
“After our protest on November 6, which we suspended because of the Senate’s intervention, we have been in dialogue with the minister of finance on how he is going to pay us.
“But unfortunately, he has failed to honour his promise. He keeps saying he will pay, but nothing is forthcoming. That is why we are here protesting again,” he said.
He added that the ministry appeared to be considering combining their payment with other outstanding funds and postponing disbursement to 2026, which the association does not support.
“Our next line of action is what we are doing now. We will not leave these premises. We will continue every day until we are paid,” Nwosu added.
Also, AICAN Vice President, Mr Fredrick Agada, said he was concerned that the minister had not honoured the commitments made in previous meetings.
“He asked us to compile a list of our members entitled to the payment, which we submitted in hard copy.
“Unfortunately, he later asked us to interface with stakeholders. We asked who these stakeholders are, but he has refused to answer us,” Agada said.
Deputy National President (North Central), Alhaji Abdullahi Yamani, also called for immediate payment, saying the delays were worsening the contractors’ plight.
Minister of Finance, Mr Wale Edun and other top officials in the ministry were not immediately available for comment.