Minister-designate for Roads and Highways, Kwesi Amoako Atta, has rejected claims that in the payment of debts owed road contractors in the country, his outfit has been applying a targeted and selective approach in paying off monies.
He said that while there is no doubt that outstanding payments for contractors in the country are enormous, it is not true that they are not exercising fairness.
Responding to a question posed to him by Ranking Member on the Committee, Haruna Iddrisu, on when contractors will be paid, during his vetting, Kwesi Amoako Atta said that the ministry was making every effort to clear outstanding payments first.
“I will not sit down here and say that all contractors in this country have been paid on schedule even though the government in the past 4 years has made great efforts to pay them for the good work they render to the good people of this country.
“It is not in the interest of the government and this country to delay payment because of the huge interest delayed payments accrued. Contractors are supposed to be paid within 90 days from when the certificate is made and we continue to follow strict payment regime. We have been very very fair and we do not discriminate,” he explained.
Kwesi Amoako Atta was re-nominated after serving a full term under President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo‘s first term in office.