By Atoyebi Nike
The House of Representatives has directed the Accountant-General of the Federation, Shamseldeen Ogunjimi, to provide a detailed breakdown of the ₦2.4 trillion recently paid to contractors for federal projects.
This followed confirmation from the Office of the Accountant-General that ₦2.4tn had already been disbursed, with another ₦760bn approved in warrants and cash backing, bringing total government commitments to ₦3.1tn.
Deputy Speaker and Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee on Budget Implementation, Benjamin Kalu, issued a stern warning that the funds must reflect in visible projects. “It is wicked to declare a hospital complete when patients still die without beds. It is fraudulent to claim classrooms have been built when children still study under trees. Every kobo must match visible results. No more paper projects,” he said.
The House intervened earlier this month when contractors blocked the Ministry of Finance in protest over unpaid arrears. Lawmakers secured a government commitment to release 25% of the debt, with further reviews scheduled.
Kalu said the committee has now demanded a verified spreadsheet from the Accountant-General to reconcile payments with contractors’ claims. A fresh review session has been set for October 5, 2025.
