Government Clears GH¢5 Billion of Road Debt, Plans to Gradually Settle GH¢40 Billion in Arrears — Minister Agbodza
JHNews || The government claims to have cleared GH¢5 billion in overdue road payments yet still sits on GH¢40 billion in inherited debts. The promise to “gradually” pay off the rest raises serious doubts about whether current infrastructure gains will survive the next administration.
HENRY GERCHI 
The Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwame Governs Agbodza, announced that the government has successfully paid GH¢5 billion to road contractors after validating their claims — a move he says reflects fiscal discipline and commitment to infrastructure development.
Agbodza, speaking from Beijing, stated that these payments were made without foreign borrowing, and represent one of the largest single disbursements to road contractors in recent memory.
He explained that the disbursement followed a rigorous validation process conducted by the Ministry of Finance, Auditor-General’s Department, and other oversight bodies to weed out inflated or invalid claims. “If we had rushed to pay everything, we might have thrown away part of your money,” the minister cautioned.
The minister also revealed that the current inherited arrears in the sector stand at about GH¢40 billion, covering obligations under:
- The Government of Ghana (GoG) account (approx. GH¢21 billion)
- The Road Fund / Road Maintenance Trust Fund (more than GH¢8 billion)
- Cocoa roads and other sector-specific debts
Agbodza emphasized that while the GH¢5 billion payment is significant, clearing the entire GH¢40 billion will be handled gradually, as fiscal space allows.
He also reassured that ongoing infrastructure projects, including those in Ofankor, Kasoa, Adenta–Dodowa, and new contracts worth over GH¢70 billion, remain active and will not be canceled.
