The Minister of Works, David Umahi, says N1.5 trillion debt arising from unpaid certificates was inherited from the administration of the immediate past president, Muhammadu Buhari.

The minister made the disclosure in a statement issued ahead of the ministry’s budget defence before the joint committees of the National Assembly on Monday, December 11, 2023.

Umahi, in a statement issued on Sunday by his Chief Press Secretary, Orji Uchenna Orji, noted the huge debt inherited from the past administration, which runs up to N1.5 trillion up till date and the expected contract reviews arising from inflation.

These two factors, he said, were recognised in the ministry as issues that must be confronted in order to move forward.

Orji stated that Umahi has, therefore, set up six committees of one committee per geopolitical zone to review all debts of unpaid certified certificates generated before May 29, 2023, and from May 29, 2023, to date.

He added: “The committees will also review the approved and unapproved variation of prices and all augmentations that were approved or are yet to be approved and make recommendations to the Ministry’s management.

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“The Ministry has exposed these debts and all reviews in the Ministry to Mr. President’s economic team and also to the Federal Executive Committee on road sector funding.

“It is believed that the internal works through these constituted committees will help them to use external Consultants to reverify the works so that concrete decisions will be made to move the Ministry forward.

“Contractors who are being owed are requested to approach these committees with all documents to back up their claims from Tuesday 12th 2023 to Friday, 22nd of December 2023 from 9 am to 7 pm at the Honourable Minister’s Conference Room, 1st floor, Federal Ministry of Works, Headquarters, Mabushi Abuja.”

He further quoted the minister as thanking President Bola Tinubu as well as the National Assembly and pledged the ministry’s commitment in using judiciously whatever fund allocated to the ministry “and such funds must impact on the road infrastructure improvement”

“The entire Directors of the Ministry pledged for a renewed vigor in the supervision of the projects, and the results are already evident,” Orji stated.

The Star