Anger, condemnations as contractors protest non-payment of COVID-19 supplies, call out FCT Minister
Aggrieved contractors who supplied COVID-19 medical equipment, personal protective equipment and other items on Monday stormed the Federal Capital Territory Authority Secretariat in Abuja, to protest non-payment of money allegedly owed since 2020.
The contractors barricaded the offices of the FCT Minister, Mohammed Bello; the Permanent Secretary, Adesola Olusade; and the major entrance gate of the secretariat as early as 8am, holding placards to express their grievances.
Some of the inscriptions on the placards read, “Minister, put an end to this wickedness,” “Pay COVID-19 contractors, their money is close to three years already,” “We are tired of fake promises,” and “We need our money now.”
One of the spokesmen of the aggrieved contractors, Michael Ewoma, who spoke with journalists, faulted the FCTA management for reneging on the initial agreement of prompt payment for all contractors.
Ewoma said while some contractors had received part payment for the supplies they had made, some were yet to be paid.
He lamented, “As it stands today, some of our contractors have not received a dime as payment since 2019. Lots are owed.
“It may interest you to know that by March 2023, it will be three years since the FCTA owes us our money. Considering the politics going on presently, we do not want to be tied to non-payment because of the electioneering period. We are appealing to the government to pay us the money because a lot of people are in debt and our staff members have not been paid salaries for months.
“It has been difficult for all of us. That is why we are appealing to the minister to pay this money so that contractors who come out to do these jobs will also be happy. We need to pay back our loans.”
He said that it became very imperative for them to hold a peaceful protest in FCTA to demand the immediate full payment of their monies owed via the supply of various medical equipment and items at the advent of COVID-19 in the year 2019.
Another contractor, who identified himself as Moses, said he was unable to pay his children’s school fees.
As of the time of filing this report, efforts to reach the spokesperson of the FCTA and the FCTA Secretary of Health and Human Services proved abortive, despite repeated calls and messages by our correspondents. Punch
