By Paul Effiong, Abuja
House of Representatives Committee on Public Procurement has tasked the Accountant General of the Federation, Shamsudeen Ogunjimi, to ensure immediate payment of contractors to alleviate their suffering.
The directive was issued at the weekend by the Chairman of the committee, Unyime Idem, who expressed worry over the delay in the payment of contractors who have long completed their contracts.
Idem said his committee had received several petitions on cases of delay and non-payment for jobs delivered in the last two years, adding that the committee would not relent in executing its mandate no matter who is involved.
He explained that the committee had been interfacing with the protesting contractors for the purpose of ensuring that they are paid their money.
“The issue of non-payment of contractors for the past two to three years now; on a daily basis, as a committee in charge of public procurement, we receive petitions and then protest.
“We use wisdom to manage them, if not, maybe by now, they would have burnt your office. It took the efforts of the committee and the leadership of the House to manage the anger and protest on the side of the contractors.
“So the House asked us to find out why there is delay and in some cases, non-payment for the past two years,” he said.
The committee members also requested the accountant general to provide documents to explain the alleged infractions in contract award processes in the agency’s budget between 2023-2025.
Ogunjimi alleged several misconduct in the process of award of contracts in some agencies of government.
He explained that the some contracts were awarded without funds to back them up which had created gap as it contravenes the law.
The accountant general, however, said efforts are ongoing to ensure that all contractors who had delivered jobs are paid.
