Pay our arrears so we can contribute to Coronavirus fight

A group calling itself the Association of Conscientious Public Sector Contractors is pleading with the government to as matter of urgency pay the long-standing arrears owed its members.

According to the contractors, the government owes them several sums of money for projects executed for government including GETFund but are yet to be paid.

The contractors stated that the payment of their monies will not only relieve them from their accrued debt but also extend a helping hand to vulnerable persons as the country collectivizes efforts in dealing with the global outbreak of the novel Coronavirus disease.

This is not the first time the contractors who worked on projects for the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) are appealing to the government to pay them their monies which have been in arrears for years.

In the past, they raised concerns that their businesses were grinding to a halt due to the government’s indebtedness to them.

In an open letter to the President, the Association said: “Payment will enable us to pay our staff, our suppliers and even pay our statutory obligations. Apart from the multiplier and stimulative effect of such action, it will also help our members give a helping hand to the needy and vulnerable in our communities. It is no secret that contractors, like other businessmen, are called upon by members of our communities to support the unfortunate ones all the time. These times have made such requests much more frequent and urgent.”

Here is the full letter by the Association:

OPEN LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF GHANA, HIS EXCELLENCY NANA ADDO DANKWA AKUFFO ADDO- ASSOCIATION OF CONSCIENTIOUS PUBLIC SECTOR CONTRACTORS.

The menace of COVID-19 has brought hardship the world over and governments are putting measures in place to mitigate the impact on their citizenry. We observe with much admiration, the difficult, yet necessary effort yourself and your administration are making at minimizing the impact on the Ghanaian lives and economy. To quote your now worldwide acclaimed quotation ” =We know how to bring back the economy, what we don’t know is how to bring back lives”. Indeed lives are at stake and your leadership on this matter must be commended. We believe with our collective effort, Ghana will emerge stronger on the other side.

Mr. President, we are greatly elated about the stimulus funds set aside to support small businesses. We are appealing directly to you to consider as a matter of expediency, paying off the remaining arrears of contractors. Some of our members have unpaid claims at GETFund dating back two years. Payment will enable us to pay our staff, our suppliers and even pay our statutory obligations. Apart from the multiplier and stimulative effect of such action, it will also help our members give a helping hand to the needy and vulnerable in our communities. It is no secret that contractors, like other businessmen, are called upon by members of our communities to support the unfortunate ones all the time. These times have made such requests much more frequent and urgent.

Please consider coming to our aid. It will alleviate our harrowing plight and afford us the opportunity to also play our part.

We are counting on your fatherly providence.

May God bless you and May God bless our homeland Ghana.