Roads Minister Governs Kwame Agbodza Decries Internal Sabotage over Contractor Inspections | Discuss Ghana

Minister for Roads and Highways, Governs Kwame Agbodza, has expressed deep frustration over internal leakages within his ministry, revealing that officials close to him have been leaking his official inspection itineraries to road contractors to enable "eye service" preparations.

Speaking following an unannounced site visit to the Sunyani Outer Ring Road project in the Bono Region, Agbodza cautioned that staff and regional engineering leads enabling sub-standard project delivery face disciplinary action and potential dismissal.

Key Highlights of the Minister's Statement

Direct Quote on Internal Leakages:
"Some people working with me inform contractors about my coming, but when I go there unannounced, I don’t see them working... I call it eye service. When I go to the site on my own and I do a lot without your knowledge, I don't see them working."
— Governs Kwame Agbodza, Minister for Roads and Highways

Findings from Surprise Field Inspections:

Discrepancy in Field Reports: Independent monitoring teams dispatched to project sites in the Eastern, Bono, and Ashanti regions returned with progress reports that directly contradicted overly positive updates submitted by regional directors.

Contractor Excuses Rejected: The Minister rejected claims of delayed government payments as an excuse for stalled work, emphasizing that certified claims are being processed and contractors must demonstrate capacity on-site.

Summons & Accountability Measures:

Regional Leadership Summoned: Agbodza has ordered the Regional Directors of Urban Roads and the Ghana Highway Authority, along with senior agency executives, to report to his office in Accra on Monday to account for unmonitored project sites.

Enforcing Capacity Standards: He reiterated that contractors who fail to meet execution benchmarks or engage in "eye service" will have their contracts terminated and barred from future state tenders.