Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, has stepped in to end the standoff between the Federal Government and indigenous contractors, bringing relief after weeks of tension.
The contractors, who have been owed for months, had staged a protest in Abuja earlier in the week, demanding payment for executed projects. Their action raised fears of disruptions to government activities, as many of them handle key infrastructure works.
Following his appointment as Chairman of the House Special Committee on Budget Implementation by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, Kalu convened a crucial meeting on Thursday with over 80 contractors and their leadership. The Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, the Accountant-General of the Federation, Shamseldeen Ogunjimi, and other top government officials were also in attendance.
After more than four hours of open dialogue, both parties reached a resolution. Payments to contractors are expected to begin on Monday once banks reopen after the holiday.
Speaking at the end of the meeting, Kalu expressed gratitude to the Speaker and his colleagues for entrusting him with the assignment. He noted that the agreement was reached in the interest of the economy, stressing that the National Assembly was committed to monitoring implementation.
“We had over four hours of engagement and they left here smiling. We’ve got the strategy in place, and we will reconvene on the 21st of this month to review progress,” Kalu said.
Finance Minister Edun also confirmed that a timeline for payments had been set. “All parties left knowing that contractors would be paid for jobs done. After Friday’s holiday, the Central Bank will open again on Monday and payments will commence immediately,” he assured.
The Accountant-General, Ogunjimi, echoed this position, adding: “This process is ongoing. We’ve been paying contractors and we will continue to pay. From Monday, payments will start dropping.”
Leaders of the Association of Indigenous Contractors of Nigeria welcomed the outcome, commending Kalu’s intervention and pledging to suspend their protest.
The resolution is seen as a major breakthrough, as delayed payments to contractors have long been a source of friction between the government and service providers.
