Reps reaffirm commitment to Nigerians’ aspirations, suspend plenary over non payment of local contractors

By Christiana Ekpa

The House of Representatives has reaffirmed its commitment to the aspirations of Nigerians, saying every legislative action taken by the 10th Assembly is guided by the collective desire to see government programmes effectively implemented for the benefit of all citizens.
Speaking with journalists at the National Assembly on Tuesday, the Spokesman of the House, Hon. Akin Rotimi Jr., explained that the recent decision of the House to suspend plenary for one week was aimed at supporting ongoing engagements to ensure smooth implementation of the national budget and to address concerns raised by indigenous contractors over delayed payments for executed projects.
Rotimi said the decision was taken in good faith and in line with the House’s commitment to promoting effective governance and collaboration with the executive arm of government.
He explained that Tuesday’s plenary, which was presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, began normally before leadership decided to hold an executive session to discuss national matters that required urgent attention.
“One of the issues discussed was the concern expressed by some indigenous contractors about delays in payments for completed projects and the implementation of the capital component of the 2024 and 2025 budgets,” Rotimi said. “The House deemed it necessary to deliberate on how best to engage relevant stakeholders to ensure that these matters are addressed in a timely and coordinated manner.”
He noted that the House adopted a motion moved by the Minority Leader, Rt. Hon. Kingsley Chinda, urging the executive to continue engaging with contractors and ensure prompt resolution of outstanding obligations from the previous budget cycle, while facilitating the full commencement of the 2025 capital projects.