N2 billion debt: Contractors groan, accuse Finance Minister of frustrating payment

Contractors handling projects in the Special Duties Ministry are groaning over contract debts of N2 billion owed by the Ministry of Special Duties which the Finance Minister, Mrs Zainab Ahmed refused to release funds over a year.

They appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari and the Presidential Task Force Chairman on COVID-19, Mr Boss Mustapha, to intervene in non payment of contracts executed in the Ministry of Special Duties.

Their appeal is at the back drop of goverment’s decision to mitigate the effects of the dreaded pandemic ravaging the world with Nigeria not an exception.

They alleged that the Minister of Finance, Mrs Zainab Ahmed and senior officials of the Ministry have resorted to face saving over the refusal to release funds to the Ministry of Special Duties, leaving behind the exposure to contractors obligations running into billions of naira since last year.

Efforts to reach out to the Minister’s senior officials of the Ministry of Finance, had met stiff resistance.

The contractors begged Nigerian government to, “in the spirit of its efforts to mitigate the effects of COVID-19”, consider without further delay payment to outstanding contractors in the Special Duties Ministry and fund release by the Ministry of Finance.