Contractors threaten to ground FCT with protests over unpaid 2024 projects

By Aderogba George

The Association of Indigenous Contractors of Nigeria (AICAN) has said its members have resolved to stage peaceful demonstrations across the FCT if all outstanding payments over alleged non-payment for projects executed in 2024 by the Federal Government.

AICAN threatened that its members will embark on a nationwide protest on Nov. 3 if payments nwere not made before the end of the week.

AICAN’s National President, Mr Jackson Ifeanyi, said this at a news conference in Abuja on Tuesday while describing the non-payment for projects as a grave injustice to indigenous contractors.

The president also advised members nationwide to refrain from taking part in any 2025 capital or recurrent projects unless mobilisation funds were released upfront.

He said the government had commissioned some completed projects without settling payments to the contractors, adding that many members borrowed funds to execute the capital projects.

Ifeanyi said the association’s members had relied on the government’s promise of payment upon completion but were disappointed by the continued delay.

“Unfortunately, the government has failed to honour these contractual agreements.

“AICAN can no longer endure this unfair treatment, which has left our members heavily indebted and financially crippled, “he said.

He said the association had resolved to stage peaceful demonstrations across the FCT if all outstanding payments were not made before the end of the week.

He added that the protest would continue until the government fulfils its financial obligations, noting that members would publicly display their demands to draw attention to the issue.

The president also advised members nationwide to refrain from taking part in any 2025 capital or recurrent projects unless mobilisation funds were released upfront.

“We shall continue to speak against the continuous denial of long-standing payments deliberately withheld by the government,” Ifeanyi stressed.

Also speaking, the association’s National General Secretary, Mr Babatunde Seun, appealed to President Bola Tinubu to urgently intervene in the matter to ease the financial hardship faced by contractors.

In his remarks, the National Director of Planning, Research and Strategy, Mr Stanley Agboni, said the 2024 projects were legally executed and deserved legal and timely payment.

He urged the government to act swiftly, saying the association’s members were patriotic Nigerians committed to national development but were now facing severe economic strain.

“We are appealing to Mr President to intervene as a matter of urgency. Nigeria is our country, and we are doing everything possible to make it great,” Agboni said. (NAN)