The Chairman of the Association of Road Contractors, John Afful has revealed that 13 of his members lost their lives last year.
This comes after several certificates of work submitted to government for payment remain unpaid. Some of the certificates were submitted as far back as 2017. This has resulted in some banks threatening to seize property belonging to the contractors.
Government owes the road contractors close to GHC6 billion.
The financial challenges, according to the Chairman of the Association, resulted in the death of 13 of their members.
“Our companies are collapsing, if you go around, our contractors are dying. In the year 2022, what we have on our record – 13 members died and the 13 members, they have companies that have monies with Road Fund and the Ministry of Finance,” he claimed in an interview aired on Joy FM’s Mid-Day news on Monday.
According to him, the Ghana Road Fund owes road contractors to a tune of GHC5.9 billion as of October 2022, adding that only GHC54 million out of the debt was paid in December of the same year.
“Our suppliers, our creditors, banks are chasing us to bring the money into our accounts. What do we do?”
Meanwhile, government says it is taking steps to pay off the debt owed to road contractors.
According to the Deputy Roads and Highways Minister, Stephen Pambiin Jalulah, though the government is faced with issues of financing, the road contractors are being paid.
“You know we have issues with finances, but we are paying them. However, not the way they will appreciate,” he told JoyNews Blessed Sogah.
Source: MyJoyOnline.com