Politics
AGGRIEVED contractors on Tuesday stormed the Imo Government House, Owerri to demand payment for contracts they executed for the State Universal Education Board (IMSUBEB).
The contractors numbering over 100, defied an early morning downpour, and sang solidarity songs in front of the government house.
They carried placards with inscriptions: ‘IMSUBEB save our souls and pay us’, ‘Imo government save our properties from our creditors”; “Hope, interests on loans are piling, save our souls’, ‘UBEC in Abuja has sent the money, please pay us’ among others.
Mr Williams Ejiakor, Chairman of the Registered IMSUBEB Contractors, who led the protest, said some of their property had been taken over by their creditors due to their inability to refund their loans.
Ejiakor claimed that they were aware that the Federal Government through the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) had released the money to the state government to offset the contractors.
He said the protest was meant to draw the attention of the state government to their plight.
“Jobs for the 2016/2017 Revised Action Plan were awarded to us during the Emeka Ihedioha era. We went into the field immediately even without mobilization and most of us had even delivered our projects.
“Ihedioha was on the verge of paying us when he was unfortunately removed by the court.
“Our money has since then been domiciled at the bank. We want Gov. Hope Uzodinma to help us,” he said.
Ejiakor said they had gone through Fr. Mbaka, Archbishop Anthony Obinna, his Chief of Staff to reach the governor but to no avail.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the contractors later dispersed when no official of the government attended to them. (NAN)
– Jul. 14, 2020 @ 16:35 GMT |
Tags: Aggrieved contractors protest non-payment in Imo
