adverts
Kwame Governs Agbodza, the Minister-Designate for Roads and Highways, has expressed deep concerns over the escalating debt within the ministry, revealing that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government has left behind outstanding commitments totalling a minimum of GHC100 billion.
Speaking before the Appointments Committee of Parliament on Monday, January 20, 2025, Agbodza outlined the financial challenges he is inheriting.
He disclosed that as of the date of his appearance, unpaid certificates from the Government of Ghana (GoG) had amounted to GHC20 billion, with an additional GHC15 billion in unpaid road funds.
adverts
Agbodza shared an alarming comparison, noting that in 2017, his predecessor, the former Roads and Highways Minister Amoako-Attah, had expressed concerns over a GHC17 billion commitment debt left by the NDC government.
However, the current situation, he stated, is far more concerning, with the NPP government leaving a GHC100 billion commitment debt, alongside significant arrears.
He explained that out of the GHC15 billion owed, road sector debt had significantly increased due to interest accumulation. In 2018, the debt stood at GHC113 million, but the interest has since ballooned to GHC665 million by January 2025. In 2020, the debt was GHC424 million, and the interest has now surged to GHC1.5 billion.
Agbodza raised concerns about how he will explain the growing debt to his constituents in Adaklu, stating, “How do I explain this to the taxpayers in Adaklu? The interest alone is massive, and we are wasting significant funds.” He called for urgent reform in contract management within the road sector to ensure better fiscal management, declaring, “This cannot continue.”
