Road contractors refute bribery allegations

A group of 20 construction companies have refuted allegations by Professor Stephen Adei that contractors are made to pay bribes of about GH¢1million before being awarded road contracts.

In a release yesterday the group said they had not experienced any such bribery attempts, and that the award of road contracts were devoid of any corruption.

“We wish to state clearly that none of us have had any such experience.

Road contracts go through a process until the award is given,” it said.

The group added that the process was well known and transparent, and consequently made it very difficult for corrupt practices to prevail in the allocation of road contracts,

“We wish to allay the concerns of Professor Adei and the general public and emphatically state that no such bribes are paid for road contracts in Ghana,” the statement said.

The construction companies include First Sky Ltd, Maripoma Ent Ltd , Justimoh Construction Ltd, Resource Access Ltd, Kasmo Co Ltd, Oswald Investment Ltd, Ussuya Gh Ltd, Volta Impex Ltd, Limerica Gh Ltd and Doncross Ltd.

The rest are Joshop Gh Ltd, General Construction Ltd, Hardwick Ltd, Kofi Job Construction, Menphis Construction Ltd, Mawums Ltd, Kingspock Ltd, Kingdowsco Co Ltd, Nagfairmont Gh Ltd and New Modern World Ltd.

Professionalism

The statement further described the Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako-Attah, as a man of integrity who had led the road sector professionally.

“We will like to state that the honourable minister has led the ministry with candour and professionalism.

Not only that, but he has brought discipline to the roads construction sector and has deliberately built the capacity of local contractors to meet international standards for the purpose of relying on local capacity and ensuring true independence,” the group said. 

The local road contractors, however, said they were prepared to assist investigative bodies to bring closure to the matter.

“Notwithstanding the fact that we have been taken aback by these allegations, we, as part of the community of road contractors, shall support the work of any investigative body to bring closure to these allegations.  

We shall, therefore, stand by to assist EOCO if and when invited,” the statement added.

In a television interview last week, Prof. Stephen Adei, who is also a former Rector of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), said he had information to the effect that persons seeking road contracts were told: "Road contracts will be given to you provided you pay GH¢1 million upfront…."

In a press statement issued last Monday, the Ministry of Roads and Highways described the allegations as surprising, “at the least because the processes leading to the award of road contracts are open, transparent, competitive and in accordance with the law.”

The ministry said since the allegation bordered on crime against the state, the Minister of Roads and Highways, last Monday requested the Executive Director of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to fully investigate the allegations, the statement signed and issued by Head of Public Relations, Nasir Ahmad Yartey, said.