Contractors to demonstrate over delayed payments

The Vice President of the Ghana Chamber of Contractors, Mr Adam Bonaa has stated that contractors all over the country are agitated over the long delay of payments for contracts executed for the Government of Ghana.

Speaking in an interview with GhanaWeb, Mr Bonaa noted that the cause of delay in payments by several ministries owing contractors is largely due to the delay by the government in constituting public sector boards across the various ministries.

“Road contractors have not been paid from sometime last year up to this year. This year, new ministers have been appointed, we have a Roads Minister but unfortunately, payment cannot be made until the Road Fund board has been constituted and as we speak that has not been constituted. The same applies to several of the infrastructure ministries like the Housing Ministry, Education and GetFund.”

In the case of GetFund, you have several arrears that are supposed to have been paid but have not been paid. The budget has been read but the approval for spending needs to be done in Parliament and it looks like the Finance Ministry didn’t present it before Parliament rose,” he said.

He stressed that the situation has led to contractors accruing debt in the form of interests on loans as well as being unable to pay their workers and pleaded on the president to expedite efforts in constituting the boards responsible for ensuring the payment to contractors.

Mr Bonaa cautioned that the situation if not solved early may lead to contractors across the country staging a demonstration.

“We received informal communication that the board was going to be constituted last week but as we speak that has not happened. Every week we hear it’s going to be constituted. It looks as if leadership does not care about the poor contractor who cannot go to [the] site, who cannot pay his workers, who cannot pay his debt or pay for hired machinery.

“Contractors are agitated. Contractors might hit the road. Contractors will hit the road and I don’t think that will augur well for this country,” he stated.

According to the Vice President of the Chamber of Contractors, a demonstration by their members could happen spontaneously considering the level of agitation.