President John Dramani Mahama has declared that contractors who received double payments for road projects will face consequences, as his government prepares to take action following the completion of a comprehensive audit by the Auditor-General.
Speaking at Jackson Park in Koforidua on Sunday, July 20, as part of his Eastern Regional Thank You Tour, the President said the audit has uncovered key findings that will guide the resumption of abandoned road works across the country.
“The Auditor-General has come with his report. So we are going to make the contractors go back to the site. But those who had double payment will be punished,” he announced to a cheering crowd.
President Mahama explained that certain contractors were paid twice—once by the Road Fund and again by the Ministry of Finance—for the same work. He assured the public that those responsible for the duplications would not be spared.
The announcement comes as the Mahama administration intensifies its efforts to roll out the Big Push Agenda, a policy framework designed to revamp the nation’s infrastructure, particularly in the roads sector.
With the audit complete, the President said the path is now clear for stalled and abandoned projects to resume. The move, he added, is crucial for opening up economic corridors, improving connectivity, and delivering development to underserved areas.
At the same event, President of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs, Nene Sakite II, commended Mahama’s leadership and progress within the first four months of his return to office.
“As the saying goes, good is not good enough where better is possible. Your leadership must now build on this momentum to bring sustainable development, hope and prosperity to all Ghanaians,” Nene Sakite said.
He also pledged the support of the region’s traditional authorities in the government’s efforts to clamp down on illegal mining, encouraging the President to keep up the pressure in the fight against galamsey.
As the Mahama administration confronts issues of corruption, inefficiency, and delayed infrastructure, the handling of the double payment scandal is expected to be a major test of its resolve to ensure accountability and restore public trust.
