Contractors owed by Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), will start receiving payment today [Friday].
This past week has seen some contractors working on GETFund projects picket at the Ministry of Finance to demand monies owed them, to the tune of over GHc 300 million spanning a period of six months.
[contextly_sidebar id=”Fl16IHRTgq8ID63rQKQYVE9u8DiUx6CR”]The Association of Building and Civil Engineering Contractors in the Volta Region also threatened to block access to roads and facilities they have constructed on January 6 if they are not paid monies owed them, with the GETFund singled out as the main defaulter in this regard.
In an interview with Citi News, the Deputy Administrator of GETFund, Stephen Baffoe, said the Fund will start the disbursement of an initial GHc 110 million received from the Ministry of Finance, based on the advice of its Board of Directors.
The Finance Ministry has promised to pay the remainder of the money owed deserving contractors, and Mr. Baffoe is optimistic that the Ministry will honour its promise of paying the remaining money.
“We have been having discussions with the Ministry of Finance. We are sure that if the levels of discussions go on, they may be able to top up what they gave us on Tuesday. But given that the week is drawing up to a close, the board has advised management to begin disbursing the GHc 110 million whilst we wait for the Ministry to top up.”
“So from [Friday], we are going to pay those who, this GHc 110 million, is able to go round to them. We would then expect that the Ministry will top up as has been promised” Mr. Baffoe stated.
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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana