Accra, Sept. 24, GNA – Mr Kwasi Amoako-Atta, Minister of Roads and Highways, says persons who bid for road contracts at the ministry will henceforth, undergo strict scrutiny to ascertain their ability to execute projects.
The Minister said applicants would be vetted and approved by the road classification committee before contracts are awarded.
He said this would ensure that persons selected for road constructions in the country were duly qualified to ensure value for money in undertaking road projects.
Mr Amoako-Atta made the remarks at the inauguration of the newly reconstituted 10-member road classification committee.
The committee, chaired by Dr Abass Awolu, Chief Director of the Ministry, is responsible for the grading of contractors as well as empowering them in undertaking road projects.
The members are: Mr Yaw Tweneboa-Kodua and Dr Michael Bekoe, from the Department of Urban Roads; Mr Omane-Brimpong, Department of Feeder Roads and Mr Collins Donkor, Ghana Highways Authority.
The rest are: Mr Eric Addison, from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority; Mr Aduni Roland, A representative from the Social Security and National Insurance Trust and Mr Ernest Obeng, Secretary to the Committee and Head of Classification from the Ministry.
Mr Amoako-Atta said the Committee’s mandate would be to relook at the road classifications in the country to ensure the right things were done.
He asked them to work diligently to ensure that there was value-for-money in every road project.
The Minister advised persons who had interests in bidding for road contracts to engage the Ministry and not to resort to the use of middlemen.
” Road contracts are open to all, provided you have the needed certification and capacity to undertake them,” he added.
He instructed road contractors to take projects they were capable of doing one at a time, and not clump projects together at a go.
The Minister assured road contractors who had not received their payments that all debts would be settled soon.
GNA