Emmanuel Cherry, CEO of the Ghana Chamber of Construction Industries, has responded to Roads and Highways Minister Kwame Governs Agbodza’s recent remarks urging contractors to meet quality expectations or risk losing their contracts. Speaking on Channel One Newsroom on Sunday, April 20, Cherry acknowledged the minister’s valid call for quality but emphasized the need for the government to commit to timely payments when contractors meet project standards.
“If the minister is saying that if you do shoddy work, he’s not going to pay you and will terminate the contract, that is already stipulated in the contract document. Therefore, he need not reiterate it,” Cherry stated.
He added, “While he champions quality, he must also ensure that contractors who deliver high-quality work are paid on time.”
Cherry highlighted that delayed payments continue to cripple many contractors, some of whom finance projects with loans under tight deadlines. He urged the Roads Ministry to maintain fairness in enforcing contract terms, ensuring that contractors who fulfill their obligations are not financially penalized.
His comments come amid renewed government efforts to enforce standards in road construction, reminiscent of initiatives during President John Dramani Mahama’s administration.
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