The umbrella body of local road contractors, the Progressive Road Contractors Association (PROCA), has asked government to stop the practice of awarding contracts to foreign companies or expatriates.
They complain that they often lose out on these contracts, especially to Chinese firms.
According to the Association’s first Vice President, Hammond Larbie, this practice is pushing them out of business.
Mr. Larbie holds the view that the situation is stifling the capacities of local contractors from flourishing.
“The local contractor makes his money here and spends his money here. The foreigner comes and takes his money, changes it and sends it back to his country and it affects our economy. Our local contractors are not able to build their capacities because they work and for over a year or two years they are not paid. When those foreigners work they are able to get their money early, but you the local man, you will not get your money.
He said local contractors would have had a better advantage on the local market if the previous government had listened to their concerns.
“We have our local people, Ghanaians. If the previous government had listened to us, there would have been money in the system because our contractors work and within three months they are paid, once they are paid, money comes into the system. We had GHc 1.2 billion that should have gone into the system.”
Calls for consideration of local contractors has been ongoing for some time now.
The Member of Parliament for Effutu constituency, Alex Afenyo Markin, a few weeks ago called on the University of Education Winneba, (UEW), to as part of its corporate social responsibility undertake projects that will improve the relationship with the community.
He bemoaned the university’s practice of awarding contracts to close associates rather than competent businessmen and qualified contractors from the Winneba Township.
This he said has over the years affected indigenous businesses in the community and must stop immediately.
“At least if you go KNUST some jobs are reserved for locals but when you come to Winneba, common porter and security, people in management would bring their relatives from afar and our boys would be walking up and down without jobs. These things should cease,” he noted.
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