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By Gloria Ikibah

The House of Representatives has suspended its plenary sessions for one week in a show of solidarity with contractors owed by the federal government.

The lawmakers also resolve that a committee comprising the leadership of the House be constituted to meet with the Minister of Finance, Minister of Budget and Accountant General of the Federation to resolve the non-payment of local contractors and implementation of 2024-2025 budget.

This was sequel to a motion of urgent public importance moved by Minority Leader, Rep. Kingsley Chinda, on Tuesday at plenary.

Also following the resolution was a motion by another lawmaker  Rep. Kabiru Maipalace, who represents the Gusau/Tsafe Federal Constituency of Zamfara State. He urged the House to suspend its sittings for seven days until the government settles the outstanding payments owed to Nigerian contractors.

The House had reconvened on Tuesday, but proceedings were disrupted after aggrieved contractors gathered at the National Assembly complex, protesting their unpaid dues. The protesters vowed to continue their demonstration for a week, threatening to obstruct legislative activities if their demands were ignored.

The tense atmosphere led lawmakers to reject all four urgent motions tabled by their colleagues during the sitting. In response, the presiding officer, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, called for a closed-door session to address the growing frustration among members and explore possible solutions.
After the closed session, the Minority Leader moved a motion drawing attention to the federal government’s failure to implement the 2024–2025 budget effectively, particularly the continued non-payment of local contractors.

He said: “Contractors, our local contractors, our brothers, our sisters, Nigerians, besieged the National Assembly carrying out a protest that they have not been paid for jobs, they concluded right from 2024 in the budget of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and these two courts are back because we have reached several decisions with the Executive and particularly the Minister for Finance and Budget on the payment of local contractors and I felt that it is necessary considering the hardship that our people have put through because of non-payment of these local contractors but as a Parliament we consider it as urgent issue and then perhaps arrive at a resolution.

“The House notes the plight of local contractors who have protested several in the past and are presently protesting at the gate of the National Assembly and intend to continue with the protest for the next one week.

“The House further notes that the Minister of Finance, Minister of Budget and Accountant General of the Federation were invited to a high-level committee meeting led by the Deputy Speaker of the House, and they made promises and undertakings to ensure that local contractors are paid for jobs executed under the 2024 and 2025 appropriations, which implementation is still abysmal.

“The House notes further that the leadership of the Parliament met with the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Ministers of Finance and Budget, and the President instructed that the Ministers should immediately effect payment of local contractors and execution of the budgets. Said instruction was not implemented several weeks thereafter.

“The House further notes that the non-payment of local contractors has worked severe hardship on both the local contractors and indeed the Nigerian populace, and that this has brought tension and increased poverty in our country.

“Consequently, the House is urged to resolve that the Minister of Finance, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning and Accountant General of the country be given seven days to make the aforesaid payments of all outstanding bills to local contractors for 2024 and implement the 2025 budgets.

“The House further is called upon to mandate the leadership of the House to ensure implementation and strict compliance with the aforesaid resolution and report back to the House within one week for further drastic legislative action”, the motion read further.

Rep. Kabiru Maipalace moved another urgent motion calling for the House of Representatives to suspend sittings for one week.

He explained that the break would allow time to hear updates on the unresolved issues of unpaid contractors and the implementation of the 2025 budget, noting that an ultimatum had already been issued for a report on the matter.

Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu then asked the Chairman of the Rules and Business Committee, Rep. Francis Uwaive, to provide clarification.

Rep. Uwaive stated that the protesting contractors had vowed to continue their demonstrations throughout the week, warning that the National Assembly complex would remain inaccessible and unsafe for normal proceedings.

He argued that it would be more reasonable for lawmakers to stay away temporarily, giving the executive arm of government space to address the contractors’ grievances.

Responding, the Deputy Speaker noted that several members had arrived late for the day’s sitting due to road blockades caused by the protest, adding that the adjournment would prevent similar disruptions in the coming days.

Rep. Uwaive further proposed that all items listed on the order paper for the day be deferred until the following Tuesday.

The motion was unanimously endorsed by the House, with members agreeing that the leadership should engage the Federal Government on the matter while plenary remains adjourned for one week.