ROAD MAINTENANCE CONTRACTORS DEMAND OUTSTANDING PAY

The contractors, who picketed the offices of the Ministry of Roads and Highways in Accra yesterday, said the prolonged delays had pushed many of them into severe financial difficulties, with some losing their homes, having their equipment seized and struggling to pay workers and service loans taken to undertake the projects. Speaking to the Daily Graphic after a closed-door meeting with the Deputy Minister of Roads and Highways, Alhassan Sayibu Suhuyini, the leader of the local contractors and Chairman of the Ghana Chamber of Construction Industry (GhCCI), Nana Opare Kwafo I, said the deputy minister had asked them to return in a month, with the assurance that he would take steps to facilitate the payment of their arrears. The contractors expressed the hope that the engagement would lead to the settlement of the outstanding amounts and bring relief to businesses that had struggled for years without payment. Financial distress The contractors, who referred to the grouping as the Routine Maintenance Contractors of the Ministry of Roads and Highways, said they had completed many road maintenance projects, many of which had been certified, but were yet to receive payments. They said the situation had left them indebted to banks and other financial institutions, with interest on loans continuing to accumulate while they waited for the government to honour its financial obligations. Some of the contractors said they had depended on loans to execute the projects and were now struggling to repay them, while others said their inability to meet their financial obligations had resulted in the loss of their homes. The contractors also expressed concern about the impact on their employees, saying some workers had been left without wages because their employers had not received payment for completed works. Nana Kwafo further told the Daily Graphic that a senior member of the association had died after being unable to afford medication, citing the incident as an indication of the human cost of the prolonged payment delays. We are not insignificant’ In the statement issued after the meeting, the contractors stressed that their work was essential to the maintenance of the country's road network and the safety of road users. They explained that their responsibilities included rehabilitating roads, filling potholes, clearing drains, desilting culverts and cutting vegetation to ensure that roads remained usable. “We may be small. We are not insignificant,” the statement said. The contractors said they were not seeking contracts under the government's Big Push road infrastructure programme, but wanted to be paid for work already completed for the country. They referred to remarks by the President at the launch of the Big Push at Afienya, where he said the programme was not intended for small-scale contractors but for those with the capacity to undertake major road projects. The contractors said they accepted the focus of the programme, but maintained that routine maintenance was equally important to preserve existing roads and protect investments in newly constructed ones. Contractors engaged in routine road maintenance have called on the government to settle outstanding payments for works executed across the country spanning between one and five years. The contractors, who picketed the offices of the Ministry of Roads and Highways in Accra yesterday, said the prolonged delays had pushed many of them into severe financial difficulties, with some losing their homes, having their equipment seized and struggling to pay workers and service loans taken to undertake the projects. Speaking to the Daily Graphic after a closed-door meeting with the Deputy Minister of Roads and Highways, Alhassan Sayibu Suhuyini, the leader of the local contractors and Chairman of the Ghana Chamber of Construction Industry (GhCCI), Nana Opare Kwafo I, said the deputy minister had asked them to return in a month, with the assurance that he would take steps to facilitate the payment of their arrears.Graphic Online subscription The contractors expressed the hope that the engagement would lead to the settlement of the outstanding amounts and bring relief to businesses that had struggled for years without payment. Financial distress The contractors, who referred to the grouping as the Routine Maintenance Contractors of the Ministry of Roads and Highways, said they had completed many road maintenance projects, many of which had been certified, but were yet to receive payments. They said the situation had left them indebted to banks and other financial institutions, with interest on loans continuing to accumulate while they waited for the government to honour its financial obligations. Some of the contractors said they had depended on loans to execute the projects and were now struggling to repay them, while others said their inability to meet their financial obligations had resulted in the loss of their homes. The contractors also expressed concern about the impact on their employees, saying some workers had been left without wages because their employers had not received payment for completed works. Nana Kwafo further told the Daily Graphic that a senior member of the association had died after being unable to afford medication, citing the incident as an indication of the human cost of the prolonged payment delays. Discover more Graphic Online subscription Daily News updates Ghana news platform ‘We are not insignificant’ In the statement issued after the meeting, the contractors stressed that their work was essential to the maintenance of the country's road network and the safety of road users. They explained that their responsibilities included rehabilitating roads, filling potholes, clearing drains, desilting culverts and cutting vegetation to ensure that roads remained usable. “We may be small. We are not insignificant,” the statement said. The contractors said they were not seeking contracts under the government's Big Push road infrastructure programme, but wanted to be paid for work already completed for the country. They referred to remarks by the President at the launch of the Big Push at Afienya, where he said the programme was not intended for small-scale contractors but for those with the capacity to undertake major road projects. The contractors said they accepted the focus of the programme, but maintained that routine maintenance was equally important to preserve existing roads and protect investments in newly constructed ones. They also cited the President's announcement that GH¢5 billion would be allocated annually from the Road Fund for road maintenance, including pothole patching, desilting and vegetation control. “Even the best Big Push road will fail without maintenance,” the statement said. The contractors called on the Ministries of Roads and Highways and Finance to publish a verified list of all outstanding maintenance certificates and provide a clear timetable for payment. They urged the government to begin paying for certified works immediately, giving priority to the oldest arrears and small-scale contractors who they said were particularly vulnerable to prolonged delays.