FG Set Up Committees To Clear N1.5trn Debt Owed Road Contractors

Federal government has set up six committees, one per geopolitical zone, to clear N1.5 trillion debt owed contractors for road projects across the country.

The minister of works, Engr. David Umahi, said the current administration inherited unpaid certificates from the past administration for road projects across the six geopolitical zones of the country.

A statement by the chief press secretary to the minister, Barr. Orji Uchenna Orji, said the committees are mandated to review all debts of unpaid certified certificates generated before May 29th, 2023, and from May 29th 2023 to date.

He said the committees will also review the approved and unapproved variation of prices and all augmentations that were approved or are yet to be approved and make recommendations to the ministry's management.

"The ministry has exposed these debts and all reviews in the ministry to Mr. President’s economic team and also to the Federal Executive Committee on road sector funding. It is believed that the internal works through these constituted committees will help them to use external consultants to reverify the works so that concrete decisions will be made to move the ministry forward. Contractors who are owed are requested to approach these committees with all documents to back up their claims from tomorrow to Friday, December 22, 2023 from 9 am to 7 pm at the Minister’s Conference Room, 1st Floor, Federal Ministry of Works’ Headquarters, Mabushi Abuja,” he said.

The minister added that the road sector needed a different kind of attention beyond the 2024 budget envelope received by the ministry. 

"For a developing nation like Nigeria, road sector development is a catalyst for economic development. The road sector has the potential to improve the security sector, agricultural sector, trade and investment, health, education and, in fact, every aspect of the development of every nation," he said.