By Ismaila Jimoh, Abuja
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Wike has challenged a group of local contactors claiming that the FCT Administration is owing them N5 billion to produce documents showing where he awarded such contract to them.
Wike, in a statement made available to journalists by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka made this demand on Monday in Abuja.
He explained that a bill of about N10 billion was presented to him as outstanding payment on job done by local contractors in December 2023 before he assumed office, which according to him they called it ‘Shopping’ or Minor Procurement, and the same month he approved N5 billion payment immediately.
The Minister explained further: “In January 2024, another more than N5 billion was paid, clearing the over N10 billion outstanding bills.
“Three months after, another bill of over N15 billion was presented as outstanding payment on this same Minor Procurement.
“How can you claim to have carried out jobs worth over N15 billion within three months, without the approval of the Minister? How can you accumulate over N15 billion debt on contracts within three months?
“From N15 billion to N8 billion and now N5 billion, the question is, on whose authority was the contracts awarded?
“Those are the questions they have to answer first.”
