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SMC contractors and their employees of the Ghana Highways Authority across the country numbering over four thousand seven hundred have urged the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to probe Road Minister Hon. Kwasi Amoakoh Attah, Chief Director, Ministry of Highways, Ing Dr Abass, as well as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ghana Roads and Highways Mr Nti as soon as possible.
On the 15th February, 2023, there was clear evidence on social media connected to some invoices that the Ghana Roads Fund Secretariat had deposited a sum of GHC 700.000 into the accounts of the Highways Authority to be disbursed to the SMC personnel, resulting in disputes amongst their debtors. However, the organisation wants the OSP to; (1) investigate the matter to find out where the said money went to.
(2)Check the Roads and Highways Ministry and Ghana Roads Fund on how payments are made to the SMC contractors.
According to some of the workers, the Roads and Highways Ministry owes them at least three years and nine months in arrears, since August 2019. However, they do not believe the Akufo-Addo government they know will release only a peanut of GHC 700.000 to effect the payment of the over 370 million debts. They expressed total dissatisfaction with the development, adding many attempts to have their cash reimbursed have proven ineffective, leaving them to wonder where the claimed news was coming from.
“We demand that the OSP conduct a full-scale investigation into this matter to determine where the said money was paid to, we are suffering, and this information has caused many misunderstandings between our workers and their debtors, because they believe the government has paid their arrears and is now demanding payment of their debts, which is never the case. We are requesting that the OSP and other stakeholders join us in our plea’’.
Furthermore, the group is requesting full payment of their debts because this condition has led to some suicides.
“We have sent several petitions to the Roads and Highways Ministry, the Finance Ministry, Parliament, and other similarly related agencies requesting payment of our arrears but have received no response.” They added.
‘‘We are family heads with children, and some of them have perished as a result of our frustrations; we want an immediate reaction from the government,” they said.
Background Information:
For the past years, SMC employees have flown a red flag in protest of the Roads and Highway Ministry’s three-years nine month arrears. They claimed their service is still ongoing, but the government has refused to pay for reasons unknown to them. As a result, SMC employees rushed the Roads and Highways Ministry and delivered their petition, but their efforts were not attended to. They have, however, planned to storm the Office of the Special Prosecutor to submit their petition.
The Government Response
The government has made no steps to respond favourably to their demands, which appears to be quite concerned, resulting in some workers committing suicide.
Attached are copies of the invoices for your references and investigations.
Signed;
All SMC Workers Nationwide.
Cc;
Office of the Special Prosecutor-OSP.
Ministry for Roads and Highways.
Minister Of Roads And Highways, Hon. Kwasi Amoakoh Attah.
Ghana Road Fund Secretariat.
Finance Ministry
Source: Ghanaweb.mobi/Evans Kwaku Oboafi
