Contractors tackle NDDC over ‘N2trn debt’, threaten protest

Some contractors have alleged that they are being owed over N2 trillion by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The contractors, who identified themselves as members of the Niger Delta Indigenous Contractors Association, have also threatened a “massive” protest over the alleged debt.

Last week, the contractors had picketed the headquarters of the NDDC in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, for three days over the alleged outstanding monies owed them.

Speaking on Thursday at a media briefing held in Abuja, Dressman Darlinton-Gbolobofa, spokesman of the association, said they would resume their protest across the Niger Delta region and Abuja if they are not paid by February 15.

Darlinton-Gbolobofa said the non-payment of the debt has left many of the contractors in “acute penury and poverty”, because most of them had to borrow money at high interest rate to execute contracts for the commission.

“Due to intervention by some critical stakeholders from various sectors, the protesting contractors and consultants of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) decided to suspend the protest at the NDDC gate temporarily,” the spokesman said.

“The Niger Delta Indigenous Contractors Association is also calling on the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, general Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, and other relevant authorities and leaders of the Niger Delta region to call on the interim administrator of the NDDC, Mr. Akwa Effiong, to desist from using hoodlums, miscreants and thugs to intimidate, harass and assault contractors who are protesting for their payments.

“The Niger Delta Indigenous Contractors will continue to request the NDDC to pay for services rendered creditably as competent and performing contractors of the NDDC, while frowning at situation where contractors will not be mobilised by the NDDC to execute projects, a situation where the contractors will borrow money from banks at high interest rates to execute projects, yet will be owed for five years and more without payment.

“The Niger Delta contractors are in pains and describe the activities of the interim administrator of the NDDC, Akwa Effiong, and the minister of Niger Delta affairs, senator Godswill Akpabio, as discouraging, devilish and an act of wickedness, noting that their action does not represent what Mr President stands for.

“The association will protest simultaneously across the nine states of the Niger Delta region and the federal capital territory (FCT), should the interim administrator of the NDDC, Mr Akwa Effiong, and the minister of the Niger Delta affairs, senator Godswill Akpabio, fail to meet our demand to pay contractors by Tuesday, 15th February, 2022.

“Some contractors’ payments date back to seven years. Some have died, and a lot of contractors have lost properties to banks they took loans from. The debt owed contractors is over N2 trillion; it is on record.”

In 2019, Buhari had ordered a forensic audit of the NDDC’s operations — the audit report was submitted in September 2021.