- Kebbi school feeding contractors demand ₦1.3bn unpaid debt
- Arrears date back to 2015 under previous administrations
- Contractors say appeals to government have failed
- Many families reportedly pushed into hardship
School feeding contractors in Kebbi State have renewed calls on the state government to settle a ₦1.3bn debt owed for services rendered under the school feeding programme, a liability they say has remained unpaid since 2015.
The contractors, who spoke on Sunday in Birnin Kebbi, said the outstanding payments were incurred during the administrations of former governors Sa’idu Dakingari and Atiku Bagudu, describing the delay as a long-standing injustice.
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Speaking on behalf of the group, Hajia Maryam Umar said the contractors had repeatedly attempted to reach Governor Nasir Idris to present their case but had received no response.
“We know this debt did not start under his government,” Umar said. “It is an inherited obligation, but one that should have been settled many years ago.”
She added that the association has over 30,000 members, many of whom invested all their savings into the school feeding programme and have not received payment for nearly a decade.
According to Umar, the prolonged delay has caused deep social and economic distress among affected families, with several members reportedly dying while others remain bedridden due to financial strain.
“Some husbands have abandoned their families because they can no longer provide,” she said, fighting back tears. “Others cannot meet even the most basic responsibilities.”
Umar disclosed that the contractors had taken their complaints to the National Human Rights Commission and traditional rulers across Kebbi’s four emirates, but the efforts yielded no result.
She appealed directly to Governor Idris, saying, “We are using this platform to renew our plea to our compassionate governor to save our souls.”
While commending the Kebbi State Government’s social intervention programmes, the contractors urged residents to remember them in prayers as they await government action.