By Mercy Gadia Adi
The House of Representatives has adjourned plenary for one week in solidarity with protesting contractors who on Tuesday barricaded the entrance to the National Assembly over the Federal Government’s failure to pay outstanding debts.
The resolution followed a motion of urgent public importance moved by Rep. Kabiru Maipalace (PDP–Zamfara, Gusau/Tsafe Federal Constituency), who urged the House to suspend sittings until the executive arm fulfills its promise to pay local contractors owed for projects executed under the 2024 and 2025 budgets.
Earlier in the day, scores of contractors besieged the National Assembly gate, vowing to remain there for seven days to press home their demands. The disruption delayed proceedings and forced lawmakers to unanimously reject four motions of urgent national importance.
Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, who presided over the session, later convened a closed-door meeting to address the rising tension among members.
After the executive session, the Minority Leader drew attention to the hardship caused by the government’s failure to honour payment obligations despite several meetings with the Ministers of Finance and Budget and directives from President Bola Tinubu.
He said: “Contractors—our brothers and sisters—are at the gate protesting that they have not been paid for jobs executed since 2024. We have held several meetings with the Executive, including the Ministers of Finance and Budget, yet the promises made have not been fulfilled.”
The House thereafter gave the Ministers of Finance and Budget and Economic Planning, as well as the Accountant General of the Federation, a seven-day ultimatum to settle all outstanding debts and fully commence implementation of the 2025 budget.
Rep. Maipalace subsequently moved another motion seeking an immediate adjournment of plenary for one week to allow the executive arm to act on the ultimatum.
Supporting the motion, Chairman of the Rules and Business Committee, Rep. Francis Waive, said:
“During this one week, the contractors have vowed to continue their protest and make this place inaccessible. It is sensible for us to keep away and give the executive the opportunity to do the needful.”
In response, Deputy Speaker Kalu remarked:
“So you are saying members came late today because the road was blocked by the contractors, and you don’t want a repeat of that for the next one week?”
Waive replied: “Definitely, Mr Speaker.”
The House unanimously adopted the motion, stepped down all items on Tuesday’s Order Paper, and adjourned plenary until next week, directing its leadership to engage the executive for immediate resolution of the contractors’ grievances.