House of Representatives has mandated the accountant-general of the federation, Shamsudeen Ogunjimi, to provide a comprehensive spreadsheet on payments to contractors as part of the ₦2.4 trillion approved by the government for project implementation.
The order followed the Office of the Accountant-General’s confirmation that approximately ₦2.4 trillion had been approved for disbursement to the contractors.
The directive was issued by the deputy speaker and chairman of the Ad-Hoc Committee on Budget Implementation, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, after a meeting with the Association of Indigenous Contractors of Nigeria in Abuja on Sunday.
In a statement issued yesterday by Kalu’s chief press secretary, Levinus Nwabughiogu, the House also tasked the contractors with ensuring the authenticity of executed projects, warning against receiving payments for incomplete or fictitious work.
“Government is not paying for a piece of paper or a certificate of completion when jobs have not been properly done,” Kalu said. “It would be wicked to claim a hospital has been built when people are dying due to lack of access to healthcare.”
The committee was established following public protests by the contractors over delayed payments. At the initial meeting held on September 4, 2025, a temporary resolution was reached, leading to 25 per cent of payments being made. Sunday’s meeting was a follow-up appraisal of compliance with the agreed terms.
During the session, the director of Funds in the Accountant-General’s office confirmed that ₦2.4 trillion had been approved, with only ₦160 billion yet to be paid.
He also revealed that the minister of Finance, Wale Edun, had approved an additional ₦760 billion for warrant and cash-backing for the remaining months, bringing the total disbursement to approximately ₦3.1 trillion.
Kalu commended the government for taking the decisive action despite Nigeria’s ongoing economic challenges.
