Senator Seriake Dickson Carpets Federal Government for Not Paying Contractors

The Nigerian Senate witnessed sharp criticism on Tuesday as Senator Seriake Dickson lashed out at the Federal Government over its failure to pay contractors for completed projects, accusing it of crippling development efforts and undermining the capital component of the national budget.

In a passionate address on the Senate floor, Dickson, a member of both the Appropriations and Finance Committees, expressed dismay at the state of the nation’s finances, particularly the non-release of capital funds despite full disbursement of recurrent expenditure.

“Government has grounded, that’s what it means,” the senator lamented. “Contractors who have done their jobs, committed their resources, cannot be paid. The benefits of the budget that we all took time to work on and pass have not gotten to the people.”

He further decried the prioritization of politics over governance, suggesting that the growing obsession with 2027 elections and political defections was distracting public officials from their constitutional responsibilities.

Dickson noted that while bureaucrats have received 100% of their recurrent allocations, the capital allocations, which are vital for infrastructural development and direct impact on citizens, remain untouched.

“So it’s a very sad situation,” he said, recalling recent protests staged by frustrated contractors over unpaid dues. “The component that has not been released, that is still stagnant, is the one that truly benefits the Nigerian people.”

He emphasized that the non-release of these funds can not be blamed on a lack of resources, citing the removal of fuel subsidies and increased revenue allocations to states and local governments. “Money is not the problem,” he asserted.

While expressing reluctant support for a bill to extend budget implementation timelines in the interest of national stability, Dickson called for an immediate investigation. He urged the Appropriations and Finance Committees to probe the matter and report back to the Senate within a week.

“We are not opposed in principle to the extension,” he clarified, “but we must understand why we are in this situation. We need to ensure this never happens again.”

The senator concluded by reaffirming his commitment to accountability, transparency, and service to the Nigerian people.