Representatives of Indigenous Contractors in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have written a heartfelt letter to the Minister of FCT, Barrister Nyesom Wike, appealing for payment for completed contractual services rendered to various secretariats of the FCT Administration.

The contractors alleged preferential treatment of foreign counterparts, who receive prompt payments, while they suffer delayed payments, resulting in financial hardship, psychological trauma, and even loss of life.

“It is heart-wrenching to complete contractual services with our hard-earned money and loans from banks, only to have our files abandoned due to the Minister’s directives,” the representatives said.

“We implore the Honourable Minister to look into our plight and fulfill the contractual obligation to our members as a matter of exigency”, they said.

The group revealed that two of their members have lost their lives due to the delayed payments, and many are struggling to meet their basic human needs, medical bills, and loan repayments. They accused the Minister of consistently making payments to foreign multinational companies while neglecting local contractors.

The representatives expressed their disappointment and frustration, stating that they have written several correspondences to the Minister, seeking his attention to their plight, but have received no response. They alleged that the Minister has a special interest in foreign contractors, who receive advance payments before completion of their jobs, while local contractors are left unpaid.

The group appealed to the Minister to do the needful and grant them their request, soliciting payment succor to forestall further hardships and demise of their members.

They concluded, “We plead with the Honourable Minister to do the needful and grant us our request as we solicit a payment succor, please.”

The letter, dated July 15, 2024, has been leaked to journalists in Abuja, shedding light on the plight of Indigenous Contractors in the FCT.

StreetReporters.ng