Thomas Ampem Nyarko has assured that the government remains committed to clearing outstanding payments owed to road contractors while ensuring that no new arrears are created in the process.
The Deputy Finance Minister revealed that a detailed update will be provided in the upcoming mid-year budget review.
He emphasized that the government is following a disciplined financial strategy that prioritizes payment transparency and accountability.
“Already, we have made plans for GH¢13 billion, which we are religiously pursuing this year.
“In next year’s budget, we will announce another amount,” he said on the Citi Breakfast Show on Wednesday, July 2, pointing to the government’s phased approach to settling verified debts.
He also explained that this current administration is cautious about avoiding the mistakes of the past, particularly the accumulation of arrears due to overspending.
“That is why we are managing the financing so well that we do not have arrears build-up, and we have given commitment authorisation so that we don’t spend above what has been budgeted for the year,” he explained.
Taking a subtle jab at the previous administration, Nyarko stated that poor fiscal planning by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government worsened the arrears situation.
“Because if we go the way they [NPP] did, we will be clearing the arrears, and we will be building up more arrears. That is not how to manage an economy,” he added.
His comments come ahead of the mid-year budget review by Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, who is expected to provide audited figures and outline payment timelines for road contractors across the country.
