The President of the Ghana Institution of Engineering (GIE), Ing. Ludwig Annang Hesse, is calling on the Minister of Finance to urgently address what he describes as the growing financial exposure within Ghana’s road sub-sector.
He warns that resolving persistent funding and payment challenges is critical to improving the delivery of road infrastructure nationwide.
Delivering the institution’s 53rd presidential address, Ing. Annang Hesse painted a sobering picture of the state of road infrastructure across the country, stressing the need for sustainable standards and stronger stakeholder collaboration.
He noted that delayed payments to contractors, escalating project costs, and uncertainty around funding flows continue to stall projects and erode confidence among industry players.
According to him, the financial strain facing contractors and consultants is not only slowing ongoing works but also increasing the long-term cost of infrastructure delivery. He urged the Finance Ministry to take decisive measures to stabilise financing mechanisms, clear outstanding obligations, and restore predictability to road sector funding.
“The MRH and MoF are urged to take decisive steps to resolve the financial exposure of the road subsector by reducing the project portfolio to levels consistent with available resources. The finance ministry must assume responsibility for outstanding contractor payments and negotiate structured settlement,” he said.
Ing. Annang Hesse further emphasised that sustainable road development requires more than capital injections. He noted that adherence to quality standards, transparent procurement processes, and timely disbursement of funds are essential to ensuring value for money and durability of projects.
He also appealed to the National Road Authority to implement an integrated system for the routine collection of road traffic data. Reliable and up-to-date data, he explained, is indispensable for effective planning, maintenance scheduling, and investment decisions.
The GhIE President cautioned that without urgent and coordinated intervention, Ghana risks widening infrastructure deficits, deteriorating road conditions, and rising maintenance costs.
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Source: www.myjoyonline.com