Gov’t owes road contractors GHS40bn – Minister for Roads and Highways

The Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwame Governs Agbodza, has disclosed that arrears owed to road contractors currently stand at GHS 40 billion.

Speaking in an interview on the Citi Breakfast Show on Tuesday, October 14, Mr. Agbodza highlighted the financial challenges the government faces in clearing the debt accumulated under the previous Akufo-Addo administration.

He commended President John Dramani Mahama and the Finance Minister, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, for paying GHS 5 billion out of the total arrears within just a few months in office.

“Without a doubt, we’re close to about GHC40 billion, which was the work done and unpaid across the road sector. The GHC5 billion is the biggest single payment made to contractors at a particular time in recent history.

“We’re doing this without borrowing from international sources. I think President Mahama and the Finance Minister should be commended for this commitment,” he remarked.

Mr. Agbodza noted that the government was able to make the payments without borrowing from international sources, describing it as evidence of prudent fiscal management and effective leadership.

The Roads Minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to gradually settling the remaining arrears owed to contractors across the country.

“It’s only through prudence and effective leadership that we have been able to do this. We owe lots of money, but we will pay as much as the government can raise and from other sources,” he said.

His comments come in response to concerns raised by the Ghana Chamber of Construction Industry (GhCCI) over delays in releasing funds for the payment of outstanding Interim Payment Certificates (IPCs). The Chamber had warned that the prolonged delays were threatening thousands of jobs and critical infrastructure projects nationwide.

In a letter dated September 29, 2025, and addressed to the Roads and Highways Minister, the Chamber expressed deep concern over what it described as the government’s failure to honour President John Dramani Mahama’s assurance that all outstanding payments would be cleared by the end of July 2025.

The group said the delays had caused severe financial strain on contractors, consultants, suppliers, and other industry players.