Central Region road contractors deny being paid arrears

Cape Coast, Feb.24, GNA - The Central Region branch of the Progressive Road Contractors Association of Ghana (PROCSAG) has appealed to the government to be specific and come out with the categories of contractors t= o be covered when it releases monies for the payment of their arrears. It said last Tuesday's publication in an Accra Daily that contract= ors had been paid was causing a lot of problems to its members some of whom hav= e been embarrassed by their suppliers and debtors, even though they had not been paid for their services for the past seven months.

The Central Regional chairman, Mr. Hammond Larbie, said the greater number of its members are paid through the Road Fund and therefore do not fall in the categories of those being paid as stated by the publication. He said if Ghanaians wanted good and well maintained roads then they should be prepared to pay more and suggested that toll booths should be placed every 50 kilometers on the country's highways to help generate mor= e funds for road maintenance.

The Association also came out with proposals for the internal generation of more funds to ensure the regular payment of its members and appealed for the current fuel levy of six pesewas to be increased to 10 pesewas. Mr. Larbie cited the Malaysian experience and said even though Ghana= 's population far exceeds that of Malaysia, it had been able to generate enoug= h funds through tolls to build good roads. He said there was the need for innovative measures to be evolved to stal= l the perennial non payment of contractors.