Wike’s Aide Questions Local Contractors’ ₦5.2bn Claims

A group of indigenous contractors on Monday stormed the Federal Capital Territory Administration’s (FCTA) headquarters, demanding payment of an alleged outstanding debt of over ₦5.2 billion.

Speaking on behalf of the group, Mr. Adebola Benson said the contractors would remain at the gate of the FCTA until the FCT Minister, Dr Nyesom Wike, addresses their plight.

He explained that the debts span different administrations, some inherited from the immediate past minister, while others, according to him, were incurred under Wike’s leadership.

“Over ₦5.2 billion is owed to various contractors for jobs done. The previous minister used to pay in bits but left some unpaid. When Wike came in, he paid a little and then stopped. We are appealing to him to please pay us,” Benson said.

Mr Benson added that the debts covered a range of works, including refuse disposal, road patching, desilting, renovations, electrification, supply, and maintenance contracts.

He cited emergency interventions such as repairs of road lighting and burst water pipes that, according to him, often bypass procurement processes but were necessary to avoid embarrassment during high-profile events.

On allegations of fraudulent contract padding, Benson dismissed the claims, insisting that while a few individuals may be culpable, it would be unfair to punish all contractors. He recalled the case of boreholes commissioned by FCT RUWASSA, which he said were never paid for despite completion.

Reacting to the protest, the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the Minister, Mr. Lere Olayinka dismissed the contractors’ claims.

He stated categorically that “no contract was awarded to local contractors by Minister Wike.”

Olayinka explained that upon assumption of office, a ₦10 billion backlog of “minor procurement” debts incurred before Wike’s tenure was presented to him. The Minister, according to Olayinka, promptly approved over ₦5 billion in December 2023, with another ₦5 billion cleared in January 2024.

“Three months later, another ₦15 billion bill was brought forward under the same category of minor procurement. The Minister then raised questions: Who approved those contracts? Because he didn’t. How can over ₦15 billion worth of jobs be executed within three months without the Minister’s approval?” Olayinka queried.

He added that the figures being bandied around had fluctuated from ₦15 billion to ₦8 billion and now ₦5 billion, stressing that the onus lies on the contractors to explain under whose authority those contracts were awarded.

Remi Johnson, Edited By Grace Namiji