Over GHS5billionn paid to road contractors after audit validation, millions saved – Governs Agbodza

Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwame Governs Agbodza

The Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwame Governs Agbodza, has disclosed that a rigorous audit of contractor claims prevented the government from losing substantial public funds.

Responding to mounting concerns from the Ghana Chamber of Construction Industry (GhCCI) over delays in releasing payments for completed projects, Mr. Agbodza said the ministry’s decision to thoroughly review all outstanding Interim Payment Certificates (IPCs) was necessary to ensure transparency and value for money.

The GhCCI had earlier warned that the prolonged delay in payments was crippling construction firms, threatening thousands of jobs, and stalling key infrastructure projects across the country. In a letter dated September 29, 2025, the Chamber expressed disappointment over what it described as the government’s failure to honour President John Dramani Mahama’s promise to clear all arrears by the end of July 2025.

Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Tuesday, October 14, Mr. Agbodza explained that the ministry undertook a detailed validation of contractor claims to eliminate inflated figures and irregularities before any disbursement was made.

“As of Friday, October 10, the Finance Minister began paying GHS 5 billion out of the over GHS 21 billion owed to contractors. But we could only do this after a full audit. The Auditor-General and other agencies helped us validate the claims. If we had rushed to pay, we would have thrown away part of the public’s money,” he said.

Mr. Agbodza revealed that the audit exposed significant discrepancies between the figures reported by the previous Akufo-Addo administration and the actual amounts owed.

“At the time of transition, we were told that unpaid contractor bills under the Government of Ghana were about GHS 21 billion. Today, we know it’s far more than that. They also claimed the Road Fund owed GHS 5.1 billion, but the figure has risen to over GHS 8 billion,” he said.

He added that contracts worth nearly GHS 120 billion had been awarded by the previous administration, many of which lacked commencement certificates or clear funding plans.

“Some projects didn’t even have proper documentation, and a number of contractors never turned up on-site since 2022 when the contracts were awarded,” the minister revealed.

Mr. Agbodza assured contractors that the government remained committed to paying for verified and duly executed works.

“We’ve met with the contractors and assured them that payments will be made based on validated certificates. The Finance Minister has already presented the 2025 Budget, which includes allocations to settle arrears. That’s how we’ve managed to pay over GHS 800 million for the Ofankor project, allowing the contractor to return to site,” he said.

The minister reaffirmed that the Mahama administration would continue to prioritise accountability and fiscal discipline in the roads sector while steadily clearing genuine debts owed to contractors.