Governs Kwame Agbodza, the Minister of Roads and Highways, has assured contractors executing the government’s ‘Big Push’ Road Infrastructure Programme of prompt payments once certificates are raised.

“What used to happen in the past is that for two to three years, contractors aren’t paid, and that era is no longer with us, especially with the road projects President John Dramani Mahama has started,” he stated.

Agbodza indicated that, “We don’t have certificates lying down for six months and one year, nothing like that is happening because we are paying the contractors, even arrears under the ‘Big Push’.”

The Minister gave the assurance in an interview with the media after he inspected work on the rehabilitation of the 48-kilometre Sunyani-Atronie-Acherensua Road project at Antwikrom in the Sunyani Municipality.

Alexiboam Company Limited is executing the project, which is expected to be completed within two years, and has commenced major works on asphaltic overlays on portions of the road.

Agbodza also inspected the progress of work on the 34-kilometre Sunyani Outer Ring Road project, which is also being asphalted, and expressed satisfaction with the level of work on the two projects so far.

Kofi Job Company Limited is executing the Outer Ring Road under the ‘Big Push’ programme, which is scheduled to be completed within two years.

Agbodza indicated that funding was readily available to pay contractors and asked them to work hard and speed up the completion of the ‘Big Push’ road projects nationwide.

He assured that, “Once contractors raise their certificates, then they are paid,” and cautioned the contractors against shoddy work.

Alex Boampong, the Chief Executive Officer of Alexiboam Company Limited, pledged the company’s commitment to completing the projects even before the stipulated period.

He said that the construction of the Tano Bridge between Ntotroso and Acherensua had slowed down the project’s execution; however, he added that work on the bridge was about 90 per cent complete.