Contractors protest FG failure to pay 2 years of supply to school

Contractors supplying food items, books, vegetables and other food items to the Federal Government College, Ilorin protested failure of the FG to pay for supplies in 2010 and 2011. The contractors carried placards that read, ‘federal ministry of education please pay us our money, we are suffering’. Eleven contractors lamented one of their members died […]

Contractors supplying food items, books, vegetables and other food items to the Federal Government College, Ilorin protested failure of the FG to pay for supplies in 2010 and 2011.

The contractors carried placards that read, ‘federal ministry of education please pay us our money, we are suffering’.

Eleven contractors lamented one of their members died as a result of non payment of the contract sum which runs into N31.4 million.

Speaking on behalf of the contractors, Pastor Stephen Iwalaye, said, “We supply the food stuffs and books to the school during the two sessions and we have written severally but to no avail. One of us died as a result of the money. Federal government should help us and pay the money to avoid further loss.”

Another contractor who spoke during the protest, Rafat Olumo, said, "We have written and some people came to the school from the federal ministry of education and up till now we have not heard anything from them again. Three of us went to Abuja over the issue but nothing is still forthcoming. Federal government should please prevail on them and pay us our money.”

Copies of the letters between them and the school show the contractors have made series of attempt to recover their money to no avail.

In his reaction during a telephone interview, principal of the school, Isa Adamu‎, confirmed that the school is owing them but added that he inherited the debt because he just resumed to the school as principal in August this year.

"I resumed in August to the school and the former principal told me everything before she left. I have also written to Abuja over the matter but we are still waiting for the response from the federal ministry of education," he said.