The Ashanti Region Minister, Hon.Simon Osei Mensah has expressed his sympathy to road contractors over claims of government’s indebtedness to them.
However, he encouraged them to endavour to mobilize funds to complete the abandoned road projects in the region.
Mr.Gabriel Amoah, the special assistant to the Minister told TNT Newspaper in a telephone conversion that, even though his boss sympathized with the contractors, “he at no point in time condemned government as has been reported by some online portals”.
How on earth could the regional Minister condemn a Government he is part of over delay in payment of road contractors?” He asked rhetorically.
The delay by almost all road contractors in the Ashanti region has caused a lot of raised eye brows by citizens who think they are not being treated fairly.
Apart from the huge losses on businesses due to serious vehicular traffic at peak time, many have raised serious health alert due to the incessant dust from the graded roads.
The situation has caused a lot of bashing from the citizens to the NPP Government, putting a lot of pressure on the regional Minister and Kumasi Mayor.
A Youth group in Kumasi called Kumasi Parliament has threatened to embark on a protest march through the principal streets of Kumasi should the contractors not be seen working speedily in the next few weeks.
All these have piled pressure on the regional Minister who,on some occasions have sought to unsuccessfully transfer the heat on the contractors.
Mr.Gabriel Amoah explained to TNT Newspaper that the Regional Minister rather urged the contractors to find means of raising funds to complete the projects knowing that they would definitely be paid after their Certificates are ready to show completion of the contract.
He said from his checks from his boss as well as Angle 96.5 fm,a Kumasi based radio station which the online portal supposedly sourced their story from, there was no where the Minister ‘blasted’ government as was mischievously attributed to him.
The regional Minister he noted is still assuring people in the region to exercise some patience since he is working hard to get the contractors to complete the construction in good time.
Source:The New Trust News Paper.com
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