By Emmanuel Nduka
A coalition of Niger Delta contractors have beckoned on the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio and the Interim Administrator of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Effiong Akwa, to complete the payment of contractors owed.
As contained in a statement issued yesterday by its Chairman and Secretary, Engr. Kelvin Douglas and Preye Briggs, the coalition said their members “are dying on a daily basis as result of pressure from banks loans, harassment and intimidation”.
They added that some other contractors have already developed High Blood Pressure as a result.
To this end, they also begged the Presidency to intervene in the matter, stressing that some contractors completed their jobs two years ago or more and are yet to access payment from the commission.
The contractors recalled that weeks ago, Akwa assembled some contractors with payments below N100million, “assuring them of payment but until now nothing has been paid”.
While making a passionate plea for the payments to be fast-tracked, they noted that billions are still being owed contractors.
Meanwhile, the NDDC and the Niger Delta Ministry recently announced that the process of the Forensic Audit as ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari, has been concluded, and that the report would be presented to the president soon.
