General News of Tuesday, 3 December 2019
Source: citinewsroom.com
2019-12-03
Roads and Highways Minister, Kwesi Amoako Atta
The Roads and Highways Minister, Kwesi Amoako Atta, says over 65 percent of contractors owed by government have in the last two months been paid.
He says contractors who are however yet to be paid will see the monies hit their accounts by the close of this week.
Speaking at a durbar of chiefs and people of Ga South in the Greater Accra Region as part of the President’s tour of the Region, Mr. Amoako-Atta, said the payments have motivated the contractors to go back to site.
Because of our determination to make 2020 a year of roads, the President directed two months ago, that an amount of GHS 2.2 billion should be used to pay all contractors across the country so that, everybody will go back to work. As I speak with you now, over 60 to 65 percent of them have received payment. We are paying and we will continue to pay,” he said.
The government in efforts to address the poor nature of roads in major parts of the country has declared 2020, as the “year of roads”.
The Finance Minister has said, the government will largely focus and prioritise road projects to improve infrastructure in that sector and bring an end to the cries of Ghanaians for better roads.
He has also promised that all debts owed road contractors will be paid off.
“Mr. Speaker, this is why we are going to focus more on fixing our roads across the country in 2020 and beyond. To get the road sector moving and contractors back to work, the government will pay 80% of all contractors,” Ken Ofori-Atta said.
Gov’t releases ‘unprecedented’ GHc2.2bn to settle road contractors
The government had earlier asked all road contractors to return to site and ensure the successful completion of all their abandoned road projects.
This came after the Ministry of Roads and Highways acquired some GH?2.2 billion to pay all debts owed road contractors.
GH¢1 billion of the money was to be used to pay contractors funded through the consolidated fund, while the GH¢1.2 billion will be paid into the Road Fund to settle other debts.
