Contractors to Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, under the auspices of DESOPADEC Indigenous Contractors and Stakeholders Forum, DICSF, yesterday protested to the commission secretariat in Warri Delta State over alleged jobs executed with verified payments certificates but yet to be paid.

The protesting contractors carried placards with inscriptions such as “pay us our monies oooo” and “contractors are dying, please pay us”.

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The Chairman of DESOPADEC Indigenous Contractors and Stakeholders Forum, DICSF, Mr. Fidelis Ete Orugboh, who led the aggrieved contractors in the protest told newsmen that the management of the Commission have refused to pay them their money, despite all entreaties to that effect.

Orugboh, recalled how the management in 2021, promised to personally hand over the contractors’ demands to Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, and set up a tripartite meeting between them during a meeting held in Sapele, Delta State.

“They can’t use COVID-19 as an excuse. How can you issue a contract to somebody for the past 10years and refuse to do revalidation? Most of us took loans from the bank”.

Another aggrieved contractor, who spoke to newsmen, Engr. Eric Kiap of Kiady Global Resources, averred: “I did a jetty walkway in Usor Community, a contract awarded to me since 2017 and DESOPADEC is owing me balance. I borrowed money from Zenith Bank, all efforts to recover my money from DESOPADEC, have been in vain.