Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A growing storm is gathering over Edo State as contractors who completed government-approved projects are now publicly challenging Governor Monday Okpebholo over alleged unpaid debts running into N14.15 billion. The contractors, many of whom executed projects under the previous administration, say their payment files have spent months without administrative resolution, leaving them in financial limbo. The dispute threatens to expose deep-seated issues in the state's fiscal management and procurement processes, as the government faces criticism for prioritising new mega-projects while ignoring old financial obligations.
At the heart of the controversy are contractors who delivered projects approved by the state government but have reportedly not received payment for their work. According to government sources who spoke on condition of anonymity, payment memos for completed projects are often sent to the governor's office but remain unattended for months. The sources alleged that rather than addressing outstanding obligations, the government has adopted a "cherry-picking" approach to payment approval, where some matters receive attention while others are ignored. The resulting backlog of payment requests has created significant financial strain for contractors who had committed resources, labour and materials to government projects.
The N14.15 billion figure is particularly significant because it mirrors a separate report by Premium Times that identified extra-budgetary spending of the same amount across the executive, legislature and judiciary in 2025. That report, based on Edo State's Budget Performance Reports, uncovered spending above approved budgetary provisions, including a N2.44 billion excess by the Edo State Public Building and Maintenance Agency. While the extra-budgetary spending does not necessarily represent the exact amount owed to contractors, the coincidence of the figures has deepened public suspicion about the government's financial priorities.
One of the most contentious issues involves the construction of two flyovers in Benin City—the Ramat Park flyover and the Adesuwa Junction flyover—awarded to CCECC Nigeria Limited, a Chinese construction company. The Coalition of Registered Political Parties (CRPP) has questioned the procurement process, alleging that there was no publicly transparent bidding. The coalition accused the Okpebholo administration of awarding the contracts in a process "shrouded in secrecy, devoid of financial transparency and accountability". As of June 2026, no public answers had been provided to basic procurement questions.
The controversy has been further inflamed by the government's response to calls for payment. The state government has reportedly said it is "not in a hurry" to pay some contractors, citing the need to verify their claims. Critics have questioned why contractors from the previous administration are being subjected to verification while the government's own new projects are being funded and executed amid questions about procurement transparency. The CRPP has threatened to petition the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over the flyover contracts.
Beyond the unpaid contractors, sources have raised concerns about the state's broader bureaucratic dysfunction. Several Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) have reportedly struggled to obtain approvals for official memos, with some having had few or none of their substantive memos approved in 2026. Access to the governor is often through intermediaries or proxies, making it difficult for officials handling government programmes to obtain decisions on issues requiring his direct attention. Sources also alleged that official government meetings have been attended by the state chairman of the All Progressives Congress, despite the party chairman not being a government appointee.
The payment controversy has also drawn criticism from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo. While marking the first anniversary of the Okpebholo administration, the PDP accused the government of "policy paralysis and institutional regression". The party's state chairman, Dr Anthony Aziegbemi, alleged that policymaking had deteriorated into "ceremonial photo-ops and church visits" and challenged the administration's media team to identify five verifiable achievements. The PDP also questioned the financial wisdom of the state government's reported plan to embark on another airline project expected to cost billions of naira, arguing that scarce public resources should be used to settle outstanding obligations to contractors.
The Okpebholo administration has, however, taken steps to digitise aspects of its bureaucratic processes, a move some officials say could improve transparency and efficiency. But for contractors who have waited months for payment, the promise of future reforms offers little comfort. Their frustration is compounded by the knowledge that the state government continues to fund and execute new projects while old debts remain unpaid. The dispute over the N14.15 billion in unpaid obligations is more than a financial argument—it is a cash-flow problem with consequences across the construction chain, including bank interest, supplier debts, unpaid wages and stalled capacity to accept new contracts.
As the controversy continues to unfold, the question on the minds of many is whether the Okpebholo administration will address the backlog of unpaid claims or continue to prioritise new projects over old obligations. For the contractors who built Edo's roads, schools and public buildings, the answer cannot come soon enough. Their patience is wearing thin, and their voices are growing louder.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments