Complete existing projects before new contracts — Agbodza tells Road contractors

Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwame Governs Agbodza

The Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwame Governs Agbodza, has warned that contractors who fail to complete ongoing road projects will not be considered for new government contracts as the Ministry intensifies efforts to enforce accountability and improve project delivery.

He said contractors must first prove their ability to execute and complete existing projects before they can qualify for additional road contracts.

Speaking during an inspection of the upgrading works on the Nkwanta–Oti–Damanko Road, being executed by China Jiangxi Engineering Ghana Limited, Mr Agbodza expressed dissatisfaction with the slow pace of work on both sections of the project.

He attributed the delays to the inadequate deployment of machinery, personnel and other resources, saying many contractors were failing to commit sufficient capacity to projects despite receiving payment for certified work.

“They are working, but it’s slow. You can tell obviously that you don’t have capacity on site; you said there’s a team up there, but it’s just a small team working here. This is not enough; you are not investing enough in the project, and that is something we’re seeing with many of the contractors.

“They’re economising too much on having capacity on site, and it’s not good. We don’t owe you money; your certificate is going through a system before it gets to me. So we don’t see why you are not working. Until contractors execute major projects, we should not give them new projects,” he said.

The Minister urged contractors to increase investment in their ongoing projects by deploying adequate equipment, manpower and logistics to accelerate work and meet project timelines.

He stressed that the government has continued to honour its payment obligations for certified works and expects contractors to reciprocate by delivering projects on schedule and providing value for public funds.