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The Ministry of Roads and Highways has denied an allegation that the sector Minister, Mr. Kwasi Amoako Atta has usurped the role of the Road Fund Board, using his power and influence to single-handedly determine how contractors should be paid and who should be paid first.

A group, identified as Concerned Road Contractors had alleged in a press statement that the Minister was engaged in “irregularities” and was “indulged in paying contractors at his own whims and caprices without any regard for due process and blatant disregard for the accepted practice of paying certificates in order of first-come, first-served basis."

But reacting to the allegations in a press statement, issued by the Public Affairs Unit of the Ministry, it was explained that “a Board of this structure cannot be controlled by the Hon Minister.”

“The Hon Minister is neither a member of the Board nor a Signatory to the Road Fund Account. At no point in time has the Board of the Road Fund or any member complained that Hon Minister has usurped or attempted to usurp the functions of the Board.

“As a Management Board, there has been a perfect working relationship between the Hon Minister and the Board since 2017. It cannot, therefore, be suggested that the Hon. Minister can single-handedly usurp the role of the Board in paying contractors. The Ministry is not aware of the phenomenon of middlemen arranging payment for contractors. Suffice it to say that the challenges of delayed payments to contractors have severally been explained by the Hon. Minister at various public for an including on the floor of Parliament, during his vetting by the Appointment Committee of Parliament or in answer to questions from Hon members of Parliament and several press conferences.

“It is illogical to suggest a staff of the Fund can be threatened with a sack merely because he/she reveals payment list to Contractors. This clearly cannot stand the test against the public service laws and regulations. It is not in doubt that contractors face lots of challenges relating to payment of their Interim Payment Certificates (IPCs). However, it is also worth mentioning that the Government has made great strides in addressing the payments challenges in the industry.

“We strongly challenge the so-called group to come out with clear evidence to substantiate these allegations if they have any.”