Middle Belt Contractors who undertook various projects under the Government flagship program $1Million per Constituency have called on the Government to settle debts owed them for projects executed and certified with immediate effect else they will lock up the school facilities and all other facilities.

The contractors in addition are determined to hit all the regional capitals with earth-shaking demonstrations to let the world know their precarious lot.

The Association with over 500 members said Government owes them over GHC500 million, adding that lack of payments to its members has negatively impacted their business activities.

"Middle Belt Contractors have struggled to meet their financial obligations to the banks, families and material creditors, among others" they added.

Speaking to journalists in an interview, Mr James Gyan, the Chairman for the angry Middle Belt contractors said Government’s inability to pay them their due has led to the loss of jobs and properties used as collateral by its members for bank loans; hitherto, Government had promised them of prompt payment within 28 days of raising certificate of work done since funds were available. 

He served notice that if Government did not settle the debts it owned Middle Belt  Contractors by the end of January 2021,  “we will lock up the school facilities and all other facilities under middle belt contract, built with the sweat of our toil, for which some of our members’ lives have been put at risk". In addition, we will hit all the regional capitals with earth-shaking demonstrations to let the world know our precarious lot.”

“What we are saying now is that we are giving Government 11 days ultimatum to pay us our due, failure which we shall go all out to get Government to redeem its promise.

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We are informing Government that starting at the end of January 2021, they will see us closing down the schools we have built but have not been paid for work done, yet these facilities are being used.

This is the starting point to prove to Government that they owe Middle Belt Contractors and the contractors need their money.”

Mr Gyan said,  in a bid to show their displeasure of the way they have been treated, they have indicated that they will be forced to take a bold step to lock up schools since that is what is going to get government's attention to pay them.

He revealed that some of the projects they undertook were  Construction of 10 and 16 seater toilet facilities, Market Stores, Durbar grounds, Police Post, 3 and 6unit Classroom blocks, Road shapping, Chip Compounds, construction of green grass pitches, boreholes etc all under $1 Million Per Constituency Projects without any payment made by Government to that effect in which some of the facilities are being used by various institutions making it difficult to defend themselves that they have not been paid by Government hence this warning.

 “Workers have been laid off because we can’t pay them. The situation has also brought untold hardship on us, resulting in some losing their lives,” he added. Mr James Gyan said the arrears have not been settled over a year since the submission of certificates for work done.