Road contractors who have been owed by the state since 2017 are expected to receive what is due them in the coming days, following the intervention of President John Dramani Mahama.

The Finance Minister is expected to disburse GH¢1 billion to the contractors before Christmas. Currently, the state owes road contractors GH¢21 billion, according to the Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwame Governs Agbodza.

As part of the new development, the government is checking and confirming all the money claims being made by contractors to be sure they are legitimate and accurate. All these projects must be those that were officially approved and completed under the previous administration. This, he said, would help revive road construction projects that have been abandoned.

This information was disclosed by the President on Sunday, December 21, while cutting sod for the Sunyani–Atronie–Acherensua Road Project in the Bono Region. According to the President, only contractors who submit their certificates on time will receive their outstanding money.

He added, “I have directed the Finance Minister, Dr Ato Forson, to release GH¢1 billion to settle debts owed to contractors since 2017 before Christmas. All the contractors will be paid, and the deceased families should follow up to receive the money”.

“I want to urge contractors to hurry up with their certificates to receive your money. Your money will only be delayed if you are lazy”.

In 2024, the Cocoa Road Contractors threatened to boycott the upcoming general elections and stage a protest on election day. Their intended demonstration was a response to the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ghana Cocoa Board's (COCOBOD) failure to settle over GH¢3 billion owed to them.

Explaining their decision to protest, the contractors emphasized that all efforts to secure their payments have been unsuccessful. In an interview on Peace FM on November 27, 2024, the contractors stated that they would only rescind their plans if their demands are fully met.

"We will boycott the elections and stage demonstrations on election day if our demands are not met," one said.

The Cocoa Road Contractors lamented COCOBOD’s repeated promises, which they claim have not been honoured. They have also urged their members to join the movement to ensure their grievances are addressed.

"We have constructed these roads for a very long time without payment, so we demand our money as a matter of urgency," a contractor stated.

The Vice Chairman of the Ghana Chamber of Construction Industry (GCCI), Nana Opare Kwarfo, has expressed support for the contractors' demands. He noted that their united stance could prompt the government to act swiftly on the matter.

However, he cautioned that staging a protest on election day might have broader implications and should be reconsidered.

He also appealed to contractors to remain calm, assuring them that the GCCI is actively engaging with the relevant authorities to resolve the issue.

"Boycotting the elections and staging demonstrations will aggravate things, especially in the ongoing negotiation period, so we urge them to hold on with their agitations as we try to find solutions to their problems," he said.

In July, the Roads Minister, Kwame Governs Agbodza, revealed that the government will settle GH¢4 billion out of the large debt owed to road contractors.

Parliament in July unanimously endorsed the government’s proposal to divert all royalties from oil revenues and mineral resources to support the implementation of the Big Push Programme.

This decision followed a request by the government for parliamentary approval to commit funds for the construction of specific road projects. According to the Joint Committee on Budget and Finance, “The Committee has carefully considered the Referral, and it thinks that the request is in the right direction.

The Committee also noted that Parliament had already approved the policy and the allocation to the ‘Big Push’ Programme in the 2025 Budget Statement. Granting the request would enable the Government to enter into multi-year contracts to execute the road infrastructure projects under the Programme.”

“The Committee accordingly recommends to the House to approve the Request for the multi-year commitments for the selected road projects under the ‘Big Push’ Programme contained in the Mid-Year Fiscal Policy Review of the 2025 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government of Ghana, under Section 33 of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921).”

The initiative, aimed at improving road infrastructure nationwide, is estimated at GH¢13.8 billion. It is expected to be completed by 2028 with support from the country’s financial resources.

According to the 2025 Budget, the Road Fund owes GH¢5.75 billion, with GH¢2.81 billion allocated for road maintenance. This represents a 155.5% increase from the 2024 allocation of GH¢1.1 billion, underscoring the government’s emphasis on sustaining Ghana’s road network.

With Ghana’s economy valued at GH¢1.2 trillion, stakeholders are closely monitoring how the government balances infrastructure expansion with financial obligations.