Contractors threaten to sue gov’t over delayed payment of executed projects

A group – Joint Contractors Association is threatening legal action against government should it refuse to pay monies owed its members for works they have executed successfully.

This comes on the back of a two-week ultimatum the association, made up of building and road contractors, issued to government to pay its members or be on the lookout for series of actions.

In a Citi News interview, spokesperson for the Joint Contractors Association, Richard Nyarko, said his outfit is ready to negotiate with government on a payment plan.

“We are willing and ready to negotiate. Even if government cannot pay all the money they owe us, at least, we should sit down and talk. But we have given government two weeks to get back to us for a favourable response. If they don’t engage with us, we will explore other options including legal because our money has lost value.”

The Roads and Highways Ministry has admitted that the start of the COVID-19 pandemic played a major role in the inability of the ministry to settle outstanding payments to road contractors.

Sector Minister, Kwesi Amoako-Atta said, the pandemic put a strain on the country and a large portion of Ghana’s revenue went into trying to manage it.

In the past, the Association of Road Contractors Ghana asked the government to release enough funds to pay its members for the continuation of road projects nationwide.

The association believes the country will have a number of good roads when road contractors are paid.