Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson has insisted that the government does not owe contractors working under its flagship Big Push infrastructure programme, despite spending just GH¢6.5 billion of the GH¢30 billion budgeted for the initiative this year.

Speaking on JoyNews' PM Express on Wednesday, July 23, Dr Forson explained that payments are made only after contractors complete work, submit certificates, and those certificates are verified by the relevant authorities.

He said the GH¢6.5 billion already disbursed represents certified work that has gone through the required approval and payment process.

"It's based on certificates that have come to us and we process all certificates that come to us and it goes to the Controller and we pay. This is based on work done by contractors and so if you are to bring your certificates, since we are budgeted for, the Ministry of Roads certifies that certificate and comes to us. We'll honour our obligation."

The Finance Minister was responding to questions about why only 21.6 per cent of the annual allocation for the Big Push programme had been spent, leaving about GH¢23.5 billion yet to be utilised.

He maintained that the pace of expenditure should not be interpreted as a delay in implementing the programme or settling payments.

"First of all, let me make the point that we are not accumulating arrears on Big Push."

Dr Forson said all certified claims submitted to the Ministry of Finance have been processed and paid.

"Today as we speak, I don't know if a contractor who has generated a certificate in the last, let's say, one month that has not been paid, unless it has not gotten to me."

"All certificates for Big Push has been processed and paid for. And so until certificate comes to you, you cannot spend on it."

He explained that road contractors are paid only after completing portions of work and obtaining certified payment certificates.

"Remember, they are working. It takes a while. So they will have to generate certificate based on work done before you can pay."

"So it's not a failure to spend, but we will spend as and when the certificate comes. The money is for Big Push and not for something else."

Asked directly whether contractors under the Big Push programme were owed any money, the Finance Minister replied:

"No, as we speak, no."

He added that the Minister for Roads and Highways could confirm that all verified certificates submitted for payment had been honoured.

"The 6.5 is the bill I have received, verified and paid for."

Dr Forson further outlined the payment process, explaining that certificates first undergo verification by the relevant road agency before being approved by the Roads Ministry and forwarded to the Finance Ministry for payment.

"First of all, if it's an urban road, Big Push, it has to go through Urban Roads. They have to verify it. It goes to the Ministry, the Ministry verifies it and it comes to me for process and payment."

Addressing concerns over the relatively low level of expenditure halfway through the year, Dr Forson said he expects spending to accelerate during the third and fourth quarters as more projects reach stages where contractors can submit payment certificates.

"I'm not concerned because some of the roads were awarded later. I expect that in the third quarter and the fourth quarter, of which we're about beginning the third quarter, I will be receiving a lot more certificates, of which I have to plan and pay."

He stressed that funds approved by Parliament for the Big Push programme are ring-fenced and cannot be diverted to any other purpose.

"This is road construction. Somebody will have to work. It takes a while to work. You work, you bring certificate, we pay you."

"I cannot use that money for something else. I can only spend it on Big Push projects of which Parliament has approved. Until I get that certificate, that money must be reserved for Big Push only."

Despite the current level of expenditure, the Finance Minister said the government is already seeing encouraging progress on several projects under the programme.

He cited the Accra-Kumasi Expressway, where he said the Ghana Armed Forces has already cleared 176 kilometres of the road corridor, describing it as evidence that the Big Push initiative is making significant progress.