The Federal Government has set up six committees, one per geo-political zone, to clear-up N1.5 trillion debt owed contractors for road projects across the country.
This is according to a statement issued by the chief press secretary to the minister, Barr. Orji Uchenna Orji, yesterday.
The statement quoted the Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, as saying the current administration inherited unpaid certificates from the past administration for road projects across the six geopolitical zones of the country.
The statement further said the committees are mandated to review all debts of unpaid certified certificates generated before May 29th, 2023, and from May 29th 2023 to date.
“He said the committees will also review the approved and unapproved variation of prices and all augmentations that were approved or are yet to be approved and make recommendations to the ministry’s management.
“The ministry has exposed these debts and all reviews in the ministry to Mr. President’s economic team and also to the Federal Executive Committee on road-sector funding. It is believed that the internal works through these constituted committees will help them to use external consultants to re-verify the works so that concrete decisions will be made to move the ministry forward.
“Contractors who are owed are requested to approach these committees with all documents to back up their claims from tomorrow to Friday, December 22, 2023, as from 9 am to 7 pm at the Minister’s Conference Room, 1st Floor, Federal Ministry of Works’ Headquarters, Mabushi Abuja”, Orji stated.
The Minister added that the road sector needed a different kind of attention beyond the 2024 Budget envelope received by the ministry.
