Construction companies in Imo protest non-payment of contract sum

Some rural road contractors in Imo state protested what they called victimization and non-payment of their contract sum seven months after the execution of construction jobs in the state.

During the protest staged by the contractors at the gate of the Imo state House of Assembly in Owerri, the Imo state capital, the contractors debunked the media reports and statements credited to the state government that they have all been paid what is being owed them.

The protesting contractors said out of 27 local governments where the contracts were awarded for rural roads construction, only few of the contractors have been paid and that the payment was based on favouritism and personal interest.

They called on the Rochas Okorocha-led administration to as a matter of urgency pay the remaining contractors without further delay or else they will not go back to site.

Meanwhile, the Imo state government has insisted that most of the protesting contractors do not have contract papers as they are not the genuine contractors handling most of the rural road projects.

While speaking to Channels Television, the commissioner for information; Chinedu Offor said the state government has so far paid the sum of N13 billion to contractors in the state and out of 27 local government in the state where rural road projects were embarked upon, contractors in 21 local governments got paid fully and the remaining six were not paid due to their non-completion of their contract papers.

He added quickly that most of the genuine contractors handling rural road projects in the state have been paid according to the laid down procedure.

He however noted that the Imo state government will not be intimidated or fall for any cheap blackmail by any group of persons claiming to be unpaid contractors in the state.