Urban Roads dismisses allegations of bribery in road contracts

The Deputy Director of Urban Roads, James Amoo-Gottfried, has disclosed that the government is encountering challenges in securing contractors for road projects nationwide due to payment system issues.

In an interview on Adom TV’s morning show, Badwam, Mr. Amoo-Gottfried highlighted that delays in payments have deterred contractors from taking up projects, resulting in numerous stalled endeavors.

“We are actively

Read full articleseeking contractors, but many are hesitant due to systemic challenges, particularly with payment delays. Some contractors express interest but are deterred by the insufficient workforce available for the projects we need to undertake. Consequently, several projects have remained stagnant for extended periods,” he expressed.

Nevertheless, Mr. Amoo-Gottfried assured that his department is committed to addressing these issues promptly. He stated, “Now that the problem has been identified, we are working diligently to find solutions.”

The Director's remarks came amidst allegations made by Professor Stephen Adei, a former Board Chairman of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), who claimed that individuals seeking road contracts were required to pay an upfront fee of 1 million Ghana cedis.

However, Mr. Amoo-Gottfried refuted these allegations, asserting that he has never encountered such practices throughout his extensive career in the field, dating back to 1989.

In response to the allegations, the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) conducted an investigation, ultimately describing the claims as unfounded.