Nyesom Wike, the minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has refuted local contractors’ allegations that his government owes them N5.2 billion, stating that the debts resulted from contracts that were improperly issued by civil workers without ministerial consent.
Contractors protested at the minister’s gate on Monday, claiming they were due approximately N5.2 billion for completed projects by the FCT Administration.
Lere Olayinka, Wike’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, refuted the allegations, pointing out that the minister had already paid off a N10 billion backlog left by his predecessor and had not given any new contracts since taking office.
“I came on board and people were shouting that local contractors were being owed N5bn, N8bn. I asked, who awarded these contracts? Civil servants sit in their offices and award contracts of N10m, N15m, and N20m without the minister’s knowledge.
Then they turn around and say the minister is owing N15bn. That will never happen! Nobody can intimidate me on that,” Wike said in remarks made Tuesday at the inauguration of Phase 2 rehabilitation works at the Lower Usman Dam in Ushafa. He accused the so-called contractors were merely hired protesters and insisted that his administration would only honor properly awarded contracts backed by available funding.
“I will pay if I give contracts. However, I never give out contracts without payment. I advised them to wait until money were available, even though the Federal Executive Council gave some awards. Let nobody say I borrowed money,” he explained.
The minister challenged his detractors by requesting evidence that he personally granted any of the contested contracts.
“Anyone who says I gave a contract should show the supporting documentation. Why should I be held accountable if I didn’t? We have to do things correctly. “Just because it wasn’t done correctly the last time doesn’t mean it won’t be done correctly today,” he stated.
The habit of dividing projects into smaller amounts—N10, N15, and N25 million—was also denounced by Wike, who claimed it was a ruse by state servants to embezzle money without producing any significant outcomes.
He promised not to give in to pressure or carry on with “business as usual,” which includes inflated contracts and unnecessary spending.
“You cannot embarrass me. Inform the people that gave you contracts that your kids are not in school. “It’s not my concern,” the minister continued.
