Hon. Isaac Adjei Mensah, MP for Wassa East and Chair of Parliament’s Roads and Transport Committee, has defended the government’s handling of the Road Maintenance Trust Fund, saying it was a major agenda to reset Ghana’s road infrastructure.
Speaking at a parliamentary press conference, Mensah explained that the previous government’s concept of a “road fund” has been replaced with the Road Maintenance Trust Fund, established by an Act of Parliament. “We’ve put sanity into it, and it’s working very well,” he said.
Mensah disclosed that the government inherited a total commitment of ₵104 billion, including unpaid bills to contractors. “Over ₵40 billion was owed to contractors, but we’ve paid over ₵10 billion,” he revealed.
He added that the Road Fund owes ₵11 billion, but the president has ordered ₵1 billion to be released to pay small contractors. “All SMCs have been paid, and we’re working to clear bills for contractors with works below ₵2 million,” Mensah said.
The Chairperson emphasised that payments are being made prudently, with project validation ongoing. “We’re not struggling; we’re expeditiously and prudently going through the process,” he assured.
Mensah criticised the previous government, saying they had no moral justification to criticise current efforts. “You offloaded these challenges onto us, and we’re addressing them,” he concluded.
By: Boshyeba Kwabena Afriyie /Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
