Roads Minister Confronts Contractor Over ‘Eye Service’ Delay

Ghana’s Minister for Roads and Highways turned up the heat on a slow-moving road project between Bediako Junction and Kasapin in the Ahafo Region, confronting the site contractor for attempting to put on a show just as official vehicles pulled up. Spotting workers suddenly scrambling into action upon his arrival, the Minister openly called out the site leadership for resorting to deliberate performance tactics rather than maintaining consistent, daily progress on the critical transport corridor.

​Drawing directly on his own background, the Minister dismissed the contractor's sudden surge of activity, telling site management point-blank, “I have carried mortar and concrete. I know you’re pretending to work here.” Reaffirming that his years of physical labor in construction give him an insider's view of site operations, he made it clear that superficial efforts aimed solely at impressing visiting officials would not fly under his monitoring regime.

​The Bediako Junction to Kasapin stretch serves as a vital economic lifeline for surrounding farming communities, connecting local cocoa and food crop growers directly to regional markets. Protracted delays and poor road conditions have long plagued local commuters, driving up transport costs and causing heavy wear on commercial vehicles. The Minister’s unannounced inspection highlights growing governmental pressure on private contractors to meet strict delivery timelines on essential public infrastructure.

​Demanding immediate improvements in output, the Roads Ministry reiterated that contracts will be closely audited for genuine work volume rather than staged progress. Contractors across the region have been warned that failure to meet baseline performance indicators without resorting to last-minute "eye service" could lead to contract reviews and sanctions, as the government pushes to complete critical highway links without further costly delays.

@Volta Today