President of the All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria (AICAN), Jackson Ifeanyi Nwosu, has expressed gratitude to the House of Representatives and the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, PhD, CFR, for the timely intervention in resolving the contractors’ protest over unpaid dues.
In a letter of appreciation he personally signed and addressed to the Deputy Speaker, Nwosu thanked Kalu for his thoughtful approach, which led to a meeting with key stakeholders, including the Finance Minister, Wale Edun and Accountant-General of the Federation, Shamshudeen Ogunjimi.
Recall that on the heels of the protests in Abuja last week over unpaid fees for projects already executed, the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen set up an ad hoc committee on Budget Implementation and named Kalu the chairman to interface with the parties involved.
Subsequently, the Deputy Speaker called for a meeting of the contractors and the government officials to discuss the issues and chart a way out.
Held on Thursday last week in Abuja, the meeting resulted in a breakthrough, with assurances of payment to contractors, commencing this week.
Nwosu who at the meeting announced an end to the protest also in the appreciation letter lauded Kalu’s commitment and leadership style that birthed significant solutions, restoring hope and trust among the contractors.
The AICAN President attributed the suspension of their planned “Occupy Abuja” action to the Parliament’s intervention, expressing optimism that the meeting would lay the foundation for lasting solutions to the issues.
“Once again, I want to sincerely thank you for your timely intervention and the thoughtful approach you adopted in giving hope to our contractors and to the association at large. May God continue to bless you with the wisdom and strength needed to navigate the complexities of leadership, even as you rise to greater heights in your political journey.
“It is truly inspiring to see you adding value and tackling difficult challenges for the collective good of all irrespective of tribe or religion. I must admit, I came into the meeting with mixed feelings, largely due to previous engagements that had eroded the trust and confidence we once held. However, your presence and leadership brought renewed hope.
“I believe this meeting which has, by implication, led to the suspension of our planned Occupy Abuja action will serve as a turning point and lay the foundation for lasting solutions to our demands moving forward. Thank you”, Nwosu said.
