Pay us; our members are dying – Contractors to government

The Secretary to the Chartered Institute of Buildings (CIOB), Reginald Obeng, has revealed that some of their members have died due to the failure of the government to pay them for work done.

The member of the Ghana Chamber of Construction Industry explained that the banks and other financial institutions that gave loans to their members for the works are chasing after them.

Mr. Obeng appealed to the Akufo-Addo government to pay the debt inherited from the Mahama administration.

Speaking to Kwabena Prah Jnr, host of Ghana Yensom on Accra100.5FM on Thursday, 11 July 2019, Mr. Obeng said: “The properties of our members, including houses used as collateral, are being confiscated by the banks and the financial institutions and this situation is rendering them homeless. Some are also dying out of frustration.”

He added: “We need a roadmap as to how the government will pay us. We know this government inherited the situation but it has been three years and we expect them to act quickly and pay us.

“They told us they were doing audits of the projects because the contracts were awarded when there were no secure funds.

“Some of the projects their members did for which we are not being paid include the E-blocks, CHIPS compounds and roads in most of the districts across the country,” he added.

Mr Obeng further said a meeting has been scheduled with the Finance Ministry next week to deal with the situation. He called on “our members to be patient as we meet the government next week.”