No contractor is untouchable because of political links — Agbodza

Engineers overseeing government road projects have been challenged to put professional standards ahead of political considerations and take firm action against contractors who fail to deliver according to their contracts.

The Roads and Highways Minister, Governs Kwame Agbodza, said project supervisors must have the confidence to enforce specifications and timelines without being influenced by the political or personal connections of contractors.

He warned that engineers should not hesitate to sanction or demand corrective action from contractors simply because they are believed to be close to senior government officials.

According to him, such perceptions must not undermine the professional responsibilities of engineers tasked with protecting the quality of public infrastructure.

“There was a culture where maybe engineers felt that contractor A is a friend of the minister or the president. If I go hard on him or her, they will report me and something will happen to me and that is why you hear me saying that no contractor is bigger than the smallest engineer supervising you,” he said.

Speaking to Citi FM, Mr Agbodza said engineers should apply the same professional standards to every contractor, regardless of their relationship with government officials.

“Even if my mother is a contractor, you are overseeing. Deal with him or her in the way that is within your professional view,” he stated.

He added that neither his own connections nor those of the President should give any contractor the freedom to disregard contractual obligations.

“I don’t think there is any contractor closer to me or the president or anybody who has got the licence to do the wrong thing or delay any project,” he said.

The Minister’s comments highlight the role of independent and effective supervision in ensuring that government road projects meet agreed specifications, quality standards and delivery timelines.

DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.

Tags:  

DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.