Indigenous contractors in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have threatened to close important roadways throughout the week in protest of claimed unpaid contract fees spanning ten months, sparking a new crisis.
Many of their contracts, they said, had been certified. The FCT Administration was accused of intentional sabotage by the contractors, who were primarily local companies that carried out maintenance services like cleaning, street light maintenance, security services, and other infrastructure projects.
The contractors claimed that the FCTA has ignored their numerous requests and documented proof of job completion, while they continue to accrue debt.
The irate contractors decided to stage a large-scale demonstration to demand prompt payment during a planning conference held over the weekend in Abuja.
One of the contractors, who requested anonymity, said: “We have borrowed heavily to execute these projects. Banks are coming after us. Our staff haven’t been paid since September last year. Yet, the same FCTA that gave us these jobs won’t release funds.”
Mrs. Stella Onoja, one of the stakeholders who lives in Gwarinpa, says that the obvious breakdown of basic services, especially the street lighting infrastructure throughout Abuja’s main highways and residential areas, is more damning. The blackout is now contributing to an increase in one-chance attacks and robberies, particularly at night, she said.
“Criminals are taking advantage of the darkness. Our women are no longer safe commuting home after 7.00 p.m.,” she said.
The planned protest is coming at a time when the FCTA is already grappling with public unrest, says one of the aggrieved contractors, who also spoke on the condition of anonymity stated. He further lamented that maintenance jobs ought to have been given priority before any other contract because of their sensitive nature.
“Unfortunately, most companies engaged by the FCTA to maintain the city have not been paid a dime,” he said.
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