Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Construction Industry, Emmanuel A. Cherry, has sounded the alarm over the devastating impact of government’s indebtedness to contractors, revealing that many are facing collapsing businesses and broken homes.
Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme, Mr. Cherry disclosed that several contractors have not received payments for completed projects dating back to 2018, with outstanding debts ranging from GH₵300 million to GH₵600 million.
He lamented that despite nine months under the new administration, the Road Fund Board, which oversees payments to contractors, has still not been constituted, making it impossible for legitimate claims to be processed.
“We’ve worked for the government, yet we don’t know where we stand. Without the Road Fund Board, no payments can be made. Many of our members are in serious distress,” he said.
The Chamber CEO painted a grim picture of the toll the situation is taking on the lives of contractors.
“We’ve reached a critical point. Our wives are leaving us, we are in debt, and we are struggling to survive. Some are owed GH₵600 million, others GH₵400 million. We’ve petitioned the president, but nothing has been done,” he lamented.
Mr. Cherry appealed directly to President John Dramani Mahama to intervene and ensure the immediate constitution of the Road Fund Board to release long-overdue payments to contractors.
He warned that the continuous delay threatens not only livelihoods but also the survival of the local construction industry, which plays a vital role in infrastructure development and job creation across the country.
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