Story By: Akua Oteng Amponsah
The Ghanaian government will provide clarity on payments owed to road contractors in the upcoming mid-year budget review, according to Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Ampem Nyarko.
Speaking in an interview, Mr. Ampem Nyarko said a comprehensive audit of outstanding arrears has been completed, revealing that some claims have been disallowed.
“All these will be programmed in our budget,” he said. “The Auditor-General and top accounting firms have already brought some reports that have indicated that some of the amounts are being disallowed.”
The Minister added that Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson will report on the audited arrears and plans to clear them in the mid-year budget review. “We will indicate what the audited arrears are, and we will also indicate the plans to clear them,” he said.
The government has earmarked GHC 13 billion for arrears clearance in 2025 and plans to continue pursuing it. “Already, we have made plans for Gh¢13 billion, which we are religiously pursuing this year,” Mr. Ampem Nyarko stated. “In next year’s budget, we will announce another amount.”
He emphasized the government’s commitment to managing finances effectively to avoid accumulating new arrears. “We are managing the financing so well that we do not have arrears build-up, and we have given commitment authorisation so that we don’t spend above what has been budgeted for the year,” he said.
