The Senator representing Kogi East Senatorial District, Isah Jibrin (Echocho), has been appointed as a member of a high-powered 6-man Senate Ad-Hoc Committee tasked with engaging the Federal Government on the settlement of outstanding debts owed to local contractors for capital projects executed across Nigeria.
The committee, inaugurated at the National Assembly by the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, is expected to review the backlog of unpaid contractors’ funds and interface with relevant government agencies, particularly the Federal Ministry of Finance, to determine the status of the liabilities and facilitate timely reimbursement.
The constitution of the committee follows increasing concerns over delayed payments to indigenous contractors, a development lawmakers say has negatively impacted project completion timelines, weakened local businesses, and created severe financial hardship for many firms handling government projects nationwide.
Speaking during the inauguration, Senate President Akpabio emphasized the importance of the assignment, noting that the committee has been mandated to thoroughly investigate the scale of the outstanding obligations and engage appropriate institutions to explore practical mechanisms for resolving the issue.
The committee is chaired by Senator Sani Musa (APC, Niger East), who also serves as chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance.
Other members of the committee include: Senator Isah Jibrin (Echocho), Kogi East; Senator Adetokunbo Abiru, Lagos East; Senator Kawu Sumaila, Kano South; Senator Abubakar Sani Bello, Niger North; and Senator Abdullahi Yahaya, Kebbi Central.
Accepting the responsibility on behalf of the members, Senator Isah Jibrin (Echocho) expressed gratitude to the Senate leadership for finding them worthy of such an important national assignment.
He assured Nigerians that the committee would approach the task with diligence, transparency, and integrity, pledging that the panel would discharge its responsibilities without compromise and present its findings within the stipulated timeline
The committee has been given one week to conclude its assignment and submit a comprehensive report detailing the extent of the outstanding debts, ongoing efforts by the Federal Government to address the issue, and practical recommendations for clearing the backlog of payments.
