Pay Me My Money: Pay Me My Money: Contractor Demands Payment of N467 Million Debt from Rivers State Government

HADO Nigeria Limited, a construction firm, has written to Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, requesting payment of N467,073,921.16, an outstanding debt owed by the previous administration of Nyesom Wike. The company executed road projects in 2016 and 2017, including Ogbunabali Internal Roads and Ozuoba-Rumuosi and Ozuoba-Rumuokparaeli-Choba Roads, but has not received payment. In the letter, dated March 7, 2024, and received by the governor’s office on May 2, 2024, the company detailed the completed projects and solicited Governor Fubara’s intervention for the outstanding payments. The total outstanding sum includes N264,742,965.40 for the Ogbunabali Internal Roads Project and N202,330,955.76 for the Ozuoba-Rumuosi and Rumuokparaeli Road Projects. This development comes after Governor Fubara revealed that his administration inherited a significant debt burden from the previous administration, including unpaid balances to contractors. The disclosure has sparked a new wave in the crisis between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who was dubbed “Mr. Projects” for his extensive project initiatives, including 12 flyovers. Wike had claimed to have paid for the projects and thanked former President Muhammadu Buhari for paying the arrears of the 13% allocation to Niger Delta states owed since 1999. However, Governor Fubara’s revelation of huge debts has raised questions about the financial management of the previous administration.