N900m debt: Anambra govt opens discussion with aggrieved streetlight contractors,

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The street light contractors protesting at Awka

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By Madu Obi

The Anambra State government has set machinery in motion to pay the aggrieved streetlight contractors who are owed about N900 million, as it opens discussions with them.

The contractors supplied diesel for powering street lights across the state in February, 2022 before Governor Chukwuma Soludo assumed office in March, 2022.

Representatives of the contractors, who are members of the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, embarked on a peaceful protest to the government house in Awka yesterday where they complained that while a few of the contractors have been paid, most of them are yet to be paid.

Chief of Staff to Governor Soludo, Mr. Ernest Ezeajughi, commended the contractors for being peaceful in their protest, assuring them that the government was not insensitive to their plight.

“I want to assure you that your concerns have been heard. Mr Governor is committed to resolving this issue. Your matter has moved to another table for attention, from the last time you visited.

We will resolve this case amicably after a review. The fact that some of you have been paid shows that the process is on," Ezeajughi said.

He asked the contractors to nominate three representatives for a follow-up meeting aimed at reaching an amicable resolution of the issue.

Spokesman of the contractors, Hon. Nnaemeka Oraka, who briefed the Chief of Staff, said they became worried following what he termed as 'selective payment'.

The contractors, including both men and women, who marched from Dr. Alex Ekwueme Square to the New Government House said:

“We are 72 contractors, but only seven have been paid. We don’t understand the criteria for this selective payment. We followed due process and executed legitimate jobs for the government, yet, we have been abandoned.

We funded these supplies from our pockets. It was like giving the government a loan. We have families, we owe banks, and some of us have lost everything. Some of our members have even died due to the stress."

He said several letters had been written to relevant government agencies to no avail, adding that the protest was a last resort.

While welcoming the assurance by the Chief of Staff, they said they would continue to press for full payment if no concrete action is taken soon.

Oraka added that the banks they borrowed money from and the filling stations that supplied diesel to them are on their neck.

The contractors also declared their support for APGA and Governor Soludo’s reelection.