Let Our SMEs Breathe, Contractors Deserve Their Pay — Peter Obi Knocks Tinubu Govt Over Unpaid Project Funds
Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, has slammed the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Government over the ongoing protests by contractors demanding payment for completed projects across Abuja and other parts of the country.
In a statement posted on his X handle, Obi said many of the contractors are small and medium-sized enterprises whose survival depends on the government fulfilling its financial obligations.
He questioned why contractors remain unpaid despite President Bola Tinubu’s public claim in August that Nigeria had “met and surpassed its revenue target for the year.”
Obi argued that such an achievement should reflect in greater investment in education, healthcare and poverty-alleviation programmes, rather than leaving SMEs stranded after delivering essential public services.
Obi warned that the government’s continued failure to settle contractors has damaging effects on the wider economy.
According to him, delayed payments force small businesses to shut down, lead to job losses, worsen hardship for families and weaken the country’s productive capacity.
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The former Anambra State governor insisted that the timely payment of contractors is a basic test of responsible and transparent governance.
He maintained that a government that cannot honour its commitments cannot build public trust, stressing that disciplined management of resources and support for SMEs are necessary for building an economy that genuinely works for Nigerians.
