The All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria (AICAN) has raised alarm over the deteriorating health of its members, linking rising cases of hypertension and sudden deaths to the prolonged delay by the Federal Government in settling outstanding debts for executed contracts.

ICAN National President, Jackson Nwosu, lamented the severe financial and physical toll the situation has taken on local contractors.
Speaking at a medical outreach organised to mark the association’s one year advocacy for the payment of these debts, Nwosu disclosed that the association deliberately chose to commemorate the anniversary with a health assessment because several members had developed stress related illnesses, while others died from complications tied to high blood pressure and abnormal blood sugar levels.

He said “We organised this health assessment to enable our members to know their health status through proper medical examinations by doctors, optometrists, and other healthcare professionals. We believe that early detection and proper management of health conditions will help prevent avoidable deaths among our members.”
While acknowledging that the association’s year long advocacy had yielded some positive results with a fraction of the contractors receiving their money, Nwosu stressed that a vast majority are still awaiting payments for jobs executed between 2024 and 2026.

The AICAN president explained that many contractors financed government projects through bank facilities and are now suffocating under rising interest charges.
According to him, some members have already lost their properties to financial institutions due to their inability to meet loan repayment obligations.

AICAN’s Vice President, Ode Agada, also explained that despite engagements with the Minister of Finance and other top government officials, the delays in payment of these contract debt persist.
Agada attributed the payment bottleneck to the current centralised payment system processed directly through the Federal Ministry of Finance.

He argued that the previous decentralised system, which allowed Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to process payments directly, was far more efficient and drastically reduced delays.
Appealing to the Federal Government to expedite the clearance of all outstanding contractual obligations, Agada noted that prompt payments would ease the crippling financial burden on indigenous contractors, enabling them to service their loans and salvage their livelihoods.

Also speaking at the outreach, a medical practitioner, Dr Karen Ogunowo, advised the embattled contractors to prioritise their health and adopt effective stress management techniques despite their economic realities.
She stated that the medical team conducted comprehensive blood pressure and blood sugar screenings, alongside providing vital health education aimed at promoting preventive healthcare and healthy living.