Contractors working on Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) projects, today (Tuesday), picketed at the Ministry of Finance to demand monies owed them by the government.
The protesting contractors gathered at the GETFund head office and later made their way to the Ministry of Finance.
The contractors say government owes them over GHc 300 million spanning a period of six months.
Managers of the GETFund have however blamed the Ministry of Finance for its inability to pay contractors who the Fund says it owes close to GHc 300 million.
Managers of the Fund have indicated that, until the Ministry of Finance releases money to them, they cannot pay the contractors.
When the contractors made their way to the Finance Ministry, one of the protesters, Daniel Tanor, said they had heard from the Deputy Finance Minister, Casiel Ato Forson, and he said his ministry only owed the “GETFund GHc 106, 000 and that they have released that money.”
Speaking to Citi News’ Philip Nii Lartey, Mr. Tanor, however, expressed doubt in Mr. Forson’s assertion saying “it is never true that is what the Ministry of Finance is owing the GETFund… We believe what Ato Forson is saying is really not the issue.”
He maintained that the protesters may finally march to the presidency as thier last resort.
“The President is the last person and we are trying all within in our capacity to meet the relevant authorities, and if it fails then we will hit the President’s premises, the FlagStaff House,” Mr. Tanor said.
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Photos: Philip Nii Lartey
By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana