The Ghana Chamber of Construction Industry has issued a strong warning to the government, urging the immediate release of all outstanding Interim Payment Certificates (IPCs) owed to contractors or risk seeing ongoing road projects across the country grind to a halt.
In a letter addressed to the Minister for Roads and Highways, the Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber, Emmanuel Cherry, said many contractors are under severe financial distress due to government’s delay in releasing funds for completed works.
According to the Chamber, despite several appeals, payments for certified projects – some dating as far back as 2022 – remain unpaid. It noted that this has made it nearly impossible for contractors to continue operations, as most are heavily indebted to banks and suppliers.
“We are by this letter calling on the Ministry to, as a matter of urgency, ensure that all outstanding IPCs are paid without further delay,” the Chamber stated. “Failure to do so will result in the suspension of ongoing projects since contractors can no longer absorb the financial pressure.”
The Chamber further stressed that the delayed payments have ripple effects on the entire construction ecosystem, including transporters, fuel suppliers, and thousands of artisans whose livelihoods depend on the sector.
READ: Immediately release all outstanding IPCs – Chamber of Construction to Gov’t
It cautioned that if the situation is not addressed promptly, government’s own development agenda could be jeopardized as stalled projects across regions will lead to escalating costs, deterioration of partially completed roads, and potential contract terminations.
While acknowledging government’s fiscal challenges, the Chamber maintained that settling legitimate debts owed to contractors must be treated as a national priority to restore confidence in the sector and sustain job creation.
The statement, copied to Parliament’s Roads and Transport Committee, emphasized that the Chamber is not calling for new contracts but the payment of verified certificates already approved by the Ministry and the Ministry of Finance.
It concluded by calling for an urgent engagement between government and stakeholders in the road construction industry to develop a clear timeline for payments and prevent a full-scale shutdown of works nationwide.
Below is a copy of the letter:
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
