The Federal Government has assured road contractors that all outstanding payments will be cleared before December 20, 2025, following days of protests over unpaid project funds.
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, gave the assurance on Thursday during the reopening of the repaired Keffi Flyover in Nasarawa State. He said President Bola Tinubu had acknowledged the backlog of debts and approved the setting up of a special committee to verify and settle all legitimate claims.
Contractors handling federal road projects had in recent days staged protests at the Federal Ministry of Finance, alleging prolonged non payment for completed and ongoing works. They protested under the platform of the All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria.
The association claimed that the Federal Government owes contractors about four trillion naira but is demanding the immediate release of seven hundred and sixty billion naira earlier promised by the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun.
During the protest, the contractors placed a symbolic coffin at the entrance of the finance ministry, saying it represented the hardship and deaths suffered by some of their members due to unpaid debts.
Responding to the protest, Umahi said the President had directed that all verified debts be paid within days. He added that contractors working on the Maraba to Keffi axis, including China Harbour Engineering Company, would be captured in the forthcoming disbursement.
The minister also disclosed that the ICPC and the EFCC had been invited to audit all ongoing and completed federal road projects across the country to enhance transparency.
He further revealed that funds for the emergency repair of the Keffi Flyover, which collapsed in July after being hit by a truck, were released by the President within twenty four hours of the incident.
