NDDC contractors protest unpaid fees

Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) contractors yesterday protested in front of the commission’s headquarters on Aba Road, Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, demanding their

unpaid fees.

The protesters, under the aegis of Association of NDDC Contractors, accused the commission of being insensitive to their plight.

They urged the Federal Government to cancel fresh contracts awarded by the agency’s previous board.

The leader of the protesters, Mr Joe Adia, said it was unnecessary for new contracts to be awarded when old ones had not been paid for.

Adia noted that some of his colleagues were owed for jobs executed five or three years ago, adding that some had died out of frustration.

The contractor said the association staged the protest to alert the Acting Managing Director, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, to their plight.

He said: “We welcome the new acting managing director. We want her to know that the major problem is that contractors have been owed for about five years.

“For some, their Interim Payment Certificates (IPCs) are missing because of the delay in payment. We want Mr President to know that our major problem is payment.”

He said: “They have awarded projects for 2016 in the budget. We are saying these should be cancelled. They should focus on the payment of contractors. The Federal Government should fund NDDC properly.

“They will announce a budget for NDDC in billions but at the end of the day, the cash that will be released will be far less. This is not right. They should release what they announce as budget for the commission annually.

“Contractors suffer, if anything happens to NDDC. The workers will only go and look for another job. So, the acting MD should focus on payment of contractors. We welcome the acting MD. We don’t have any problem with her. We are only acquainting her with our plight.”

thenation