Buhari’s Govt Owing Contractors N1.5trn, Umahi Confirms

Buhari’s Govt Owing Contractors N1.5trn, Umahi Confirms

  • The Ministry of Works has confirmed that it inherited a debt of N1.5 trillion from the previous administration led by ex-President Muhammadu Buhari
  • According to the Minister, Dave Umahi, a committee have been set up to review the debt situation
  • Contractors owed by the previous administration have been urged to bring the certified true copy of their contracts

Legit.ng journalist Segun Adeyemi has over 9 years of experience covering political events, civil societies, courts, and metro

FCT, Abuja - The Ministry of Works has established a committee investigating the N1.5 trillion debt the federal government owes to contractors.

According to a statement by Minister of Works Sen. David Umahi, six committees, each representing a geopolitical zone, will examine certified certificates generated before May 29th, 2023, and those from May 29th, 2023, to the present.

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Buhari, Umahi
A committee has been constituted to review the certified true copy of the contracts approved by Buhari's administration. Photo Credit: Muhammadu Buhari/Dave Umahi
Source: Facebook

The committees will also assess approved and unapproved variations of prices, as well as all augmentations, and provide recommendations to the Ministry's management.

A statement by the Ministry signed by Umahi says:

“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.”

Minister confirms debt owed by Buhari's govt

Minister Umahi acknowledged the substantial debts from unpaid certificates inherited from the previous administration and emphasised the need for contract reviews due to inflation.

Contractors are urged to present their claims with supporting documents to the committees between December 12th and December 22nd, 2023, at the Minister's Conference Room in Abuja.

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Additionally, Minister Umahi expressed the necessity for increased attention to the road sector beyond the 2024 budget, thanking President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for approving concrete pavement in many 2024 projects.

As reported by Daily Trust, he said:

“For a developing nation like Nigeria, road sector development is a catalyst for economic development. The road sector has the potential to improve the security sector, agricultural sector, trade and investment, health, education ,and, in fact, every aspect of the development of every nation.”

He further stated that the Ministry is committed to advancing road infrastructure in alignment with the Renewed Hope agenda.

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In another report, President Tinubu has been advised to man up and tackle the previous administration's failures.

This came after the national security adviser to the president, Nuhu Ribadu, and Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun state criticised the previous government.

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However, a chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Salihu Lukman, said such body language depicts that this government is dishonest.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Segun Adeyemi avatar

Segun Adeyemi (Current Affairs and Politics Editor) Segun Adeyemi is a journalist with over 9 years of experience as an active field reporter, editor, and editorial manager. He has had stints with Daily Trust newspaper, Daily Nigerian, and News Digest. He currently works as an editor for Legit.ng's current affairs and politics desk. He holds a degree in Mass Communication (Adekunle Ajasin University). He is a certified digital reporter by Reuters, AFP and the co-convener of the annual campus journalism awards. Email: segun.adeyemi@corp.legit.ng.