Lawmaker urges Tinubu to sack Finance Minister, FIRS boss over unpaid contractors’ debt

John Alechenu

The Member representing Ideato Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere, has urged President Bola Tinubu to sack the Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Zack Adedeji, and the Minister of Finance, Wale Edu, over unpaid funds owed to local contractors.

Ugochinyere also accused the duo of mismanagement and sundry other activities.

The lawmaker who stormed the Ministry of Finance in solidarity with aggrieved contractors, who have occupied the ministry since Tuesday, urged President Tinubu to expedite action on the payment of contractors.

Addressing newsmen at the protest venue, Hon. Ugochinyere, said, “This job is executed in line with the procurement act, and the government is already enjoying the benefit of those jobs.

“Like in my constituency, people are already enjoying the street light. It’s part of my campaign.

“The water borehole is already running in my constituency. The erosion control point is already running in my constituency. So the government is already enjoying it.

“There’s no other way to renew hope than to pay contractors, local contractors, who will now pay their suppliers. And those suppliers will go to market and buy something. There’s no other way.

“Families cannot fulfill their obligations. Banks cannot get their money back. Some of you took a loan from banks.

“And these banks do not want to hear that you are here protesting, that I didn’t do it for you. Some took money from friends. Some used their car to borrow money.

“So, it’s so painful that in a government where we say we want to renew hope, we cannot pay thousands of contractors. And if the local contractors cannot be paid, I don’t think there’s any reason why the finance minister should be in office.

“If he cannot pay local contractors, it’s not a favour. It’s a call to national duty. And then we are still paying for trillions of Naira projects that are not of great importance to the day-to-day life of Nigerians.

“I’m pleading with the President. I’m calling on the President. If you cannot pay local contractors, then there is something wrong with the work of the Finance Minister and the FIRS man. You sack them.”

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