By Obinna Uballa
A dramatic protest unfolded in Abuja on Tuesday as members of the All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria (AICAN) placed a coffin at the entrance of the Federal Ministry of Finance, symbolising what they described as the “death” of their businesses and colleagues due to unpaid government debts.
The protesters, who began a continuous demonstration at the ministry, accused the Federal Government of crippling their operations by failing to settle longstanding contractual obligations.
An executive member of the association told Daily Trust that the coffin represented the growing number of contractors who had died under the weight of financial distress caused by the unpaid debts.
“Even last week, we buried a member, Abdulganiyu. This has been going on for long and it’s unacceptable. We lost six members recently due to high blood pressure,” he said.
The contractors vowed to continue the protest until the government responds to their demands and releases funds owed to them.
