Constitute Road Fund Board Now  – Vice-Chairman of Contractors Urges Akufo-Addo

The Vice-Chairman of the Contractors Association of Ghana, Mr Stephen Kwaku Attatsi, has launched a scathing attack at the government of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for his failure to pay road contractors for their work done in the past six years.

He stated categorically that President Akufo-Addo is deliberately delaying the formation of the Road Fund Board because he decided not to recompense road workers which hitherto is driving them out of the construction business.

"The President know for sure without the formation of Road Fund Board, the Minister of Finance, Mr Ken Ofori Atta does not constitutionally mandate to release to us so six months into the year that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was re-elected as the President of the Republic of Ghana he refused to constitute road Fund Board to enable the government to pay us.

"So we want to state that the delay in the formation of the Road Fund Board almost six months into the year is a complete deliberate attempt by President Akufo-Addo not to pay mobilization fees to enable local contractors to continue with road construction across the country," the Vice-Chairman of the Contractors Association of Ghana disclosed.

According to him, the delay in the formation of the Board six months into the year is having a toll on road projects across the country.

Speaking in an interview with Soireesnews in Accra on Wednesday, June 23, 2021, Mr Attatsi who doubles as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Supreme Bird Investment Limited, a wholly Ghanaian owned construction company stated that the government currently owed a total amount of GH¢2.9 billion to the road contractors across the country, adding that this amount dates back to 2017.

He pointed out that many of the contractors have abandoned their construction works because they have run out of funds.

According to him, many of them had now being hounded by their creditors, adding that several attempts to claim their monies from the government have failed.

"I am feeding more than 200 families within a certain community because their sons and daughters are working for me and these 200 folds are not receiving their daily bread because l am incapable of paying them due to the fact that l have not been paid, you can imagine. And the delay of the government to pay our arrears was grounded us of business and it is very bad," the frustrated Attatsi lamented.

Mr Attatsi blamed President Akufo-Addo for their suffering and prayed that the president will expedite action to immediately constitute the Road Fund Board to ensure the payment of contractors.

Government plans to construct an estimated 6,000 Kms of roads with a further promise to complete 120 footbridges out of the estimated 200 by the end of four years. 20 interchanges have also been promised.

However, the Vice Chairman of the Contractors Association stated that the inability of the government to settle these arrears on the part of the government is bad faith.

He added that the government has failed to pay mobilization fees to enable local contractors to continue with road construction across the country.

Mr Attatsi said “ For some time now mobilization has not been made and so the contractors’ pre-financed and go to whatever financial house you go and they give you 60%. This is difficult for contractors so they are unable to finish the road if the money delays”.

He is therefore appealing to the government to pay the arrears. 

He stated that "Right now when you go to any financial house and you mention construction they don’t want to hear your name because you won't pay. Those days the banks chase after us to come for loans now they don't come.”

Meanwhile, Soireeneews Greater Accra correspondent has learnt that the Ministry of Roads and Highways has submitted names of persons for the Board to the presidency, awaiting approval.

  Freeman Koryekpor Awlesu Greater Accra Regional Correspondent