The Minister of Roads and Highways, Mr Kwasi Amoako-Atta, has urged the Association of Road Contractors (ASROC) to support the government’s proposed E-Levy policy as they will be the direct beneficiaries.
According to him, the contractors would be the first to benefit from the accrued revenue because they would be promptly paid for executed contracts without delay.
The Minister said this when he met executives of ASROC on Monday in Accra to deliberate on issues regarding the re-classification of contractors, a directive some contractors see as an attempt to kick them out of business as they might also lose their licences.
The move by the ministry was to ensure that only the right calibre of people with the right equipment and personnel execute jobs they bid for.
Mr Amoako-Atta indicated that the GH₵68million realised when the tollbooths were operational could not even construct a kilometre of road, hence the need for a new way of mobilising enough revenue to promptly pay contractors and other service providers for the socio-economic advancement of the country.
The levy, he said, would greatly contribute to the improvement of roads as money would readily be available to contractors who would also pay their creditors to also invest in other sectors of the economy.
A portion of the levy, he explained, would go into youth employment and development, adding, “that is why I am urging you to rally the members of your association and other sister associations and support the E-Levy policy for it to become operational as you stand the chance of getting a fair share to advance the incomes of your businesses.”
On the re-classification directive, Mr Amoako-Atta stated that no one would be able to forge his signature again in a bid to acquire a contractor’s licence and bid for jobs they cannot execute.
“If you do not have the capacity as a contractor, do not approach the ministry for any job because you will not get it. The re-classification has started and will go on until the right calibre of people get jobs and give the people value for money, adding, “re-classification cannot be on a silver platter, you must earn it with the required technical ability to execute jobs effectively. If you do not have the capacity do not get closer to my office because you will not be entertained.”
On the abandoned tollbooths, Mr Amoako-Atta said the ministry was considering other options and that they will be put to good use at the appropriate time.
Mr John Afful (Jnr), the Chair of ASROC, urged the Minister to engage the members more on the re-classification policy as it would help weed out charlatans from the system.
He said the association was happy with the policy and would want to be part of the committee, explaining that even though most members were technically competent to execute jobs, the issue of buying equipment and leaving them unused would be too disastrous for members, and “that is why we want to be part of the process.”
BY LAWRENCE VOMAFA-AKPALU
