The government has paid about GH¢2 billion to contractors to enable them to resume work on stalled road projects across the country, the Minister of Roads and Highways, Mr Kwasi Amoako-Atta, has said.
According to him, most ongoing road projects had stalled due to the failure of the previous administration to pay contractors for work done between two to five years.
“A lot of road projects were suspended because between two to five years, contractors in this country were not paid for even genuine jobs done. But I am happy to announce that within a period of eight months, the government has paid contractors and disbursements for both Government of Ghana (GoG) and Road Fund projects are currently going on," he said.
Mr Amoako-Atta made this known during a tour of some major roads and highways in the Central Region last Thursday.
The minister was accompanied by a Deputy Minister of Roads and Highways, Mr Kwabena Owusu-Aduomi, the Central Regional Director of Highways, Mr Samuel Akuaku, and other officials from the ministry.
They visited major highways at Kasoa, Bawjwiase, Swedru, Assin Fosu, Twifo Praso, Cape Coast, Elmina and the Assin South area.
Maintenance
Mr Amoako-Atta underscored the need to regularly maintain the roads so they could be in good condition at all times, adding that the government was working towards prompt payment of contractors.
He indicated that only 23 per cent of the 73.000 kilometres (km) of roads in the country were paved.with the rest covered with gravel or laterite.
He observed that only 39 per cent of the roads were considered good, 32 per cent, fair and 29 per cent, poor,saying the government would construct a number of trunk and feeder roads this year as they required urgent action.
According to the minister, roads which had been abandoned by the contractors for nonpayment of fees in the region would be completed.
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