Protest: 1,000 CSOs Back Local Contractors, Call for Finance Minister’s Resignation
No fewer than 1,000 civil society organisations (CSOs) have formed a coalition in support of the ongoing protest by indigenous contractors in Abuja over unpaid debts allegedly owed by the Federal Government.
The coalition has also called for the resignation of the Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, accusing her of failing to implement directives on the payment of outstanding obligations to local contractors.
The position of the groups was contained in a joint statement issued on Wednesday and signed by representatives of several organisations, including the National Vanguard for Accountable and Transparent Democracy (NVATD), Nigerian Young Professionals Forum (NYPF), Movement for Accountable and Good Governance (MAGGo), National Coalition for Peace, Unity and Progress (NCPUP), and the National Forum of APC Young Professionals (NFAYP), on behalf of the coalition.
The CSOs alleged that the continued delay in settling the debts has triggered the renewed protest by contractors and could pose risks to economic stability if not urgently addressed.
According to the coalition, the Minister of State for Finance failed to act on directives from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu regarding the immediate settlement of outstanding payments owed to indigenous contractors for completed and commissioned projects.
The groups described the situation as a form of economic sabotage and blamed what they termed “administrative negligence” for the prolonged non-payment.
In the statement, the coalition also called on President Tinubu to consider constituting a new presidential committee to oversee the payment process, arguing that the current handling of the matter had undermined confidence among contractors.
The CSOs further alleged selective payment of contractors, a claim they said had worsened the financial hardship faced by many indigenous firms. They claimed that some contractors had become insolvent after taking bank loans to execute government projects, while others faced severe financial distress.
They also referenced earlier interventions by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, as well as a presidential directive issued in December for the clearance of the debts, which they said had yet to be fully implemented.
Meanwhile, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria (AICAN) on Monday resumed protests in Abuja over an estimated ₦4 trillion debt allegedly owed by the Federal Government for completed capital projects captured in the 2024 budget.
Speaking during the protest at the Ministry of Finance, AICAN President, Mr. Jackson Nwosu, warned that the association might take further action if the outstanding payments were not resolved.
Nwosu said many contractors financed the execution of the projects through commercial bank loans, placing them under severe financial pressure. He warned that prolonged non-payment could have wider economic consequences.
According to NAN, Nwosu said several contractors had defaulted on loan repayments, leading to the seizure of assets, while others had reportedly suffered serious health challenges linked to financial stress.
As of the time of filing this report, the Ministry of Finance had not issued an official response to the allegations raised by the coalition.
