Bolgatanga, Jan. 24, GNA- The Upper East Branch of the Association of Road Contractors (ASROC) on Wednesday appealed to the Government to consider awarding contracts to local contractors instead of foreign ones.

The Contractors made the call when they held a meeting to hand over their petition to the National Director of Department of Feeder Roads, Elvis Asafo Agyei.

The Upper East Regional Chairman of ASR OC, Mr. Edward Ghanem, made the call on behalf of the Contractors. He said Ghanaian contractors had the expertise and were even more competent than foreign contractors.

Mr. Ghanem noted that local contractors were more abreast with theirs environment and could seek quality materials in the execution of their duties.

He appealed to the Government to release funds on time to pay contractors to enable them to execute their contracts on schedule. He expressed concern about the unstable condition of prices which affects the financial position of contractors and the execution of their.

Mr. Ghanem further called on the Government to award contracts based on the closeness of bidders, saying this would ensure that contracts were awarded to competent contractors who understood the work and can deliver the goods.

He exhorted the Government not to award contracts based on political consideration but based on competency and said it was only through this that quality work can be achieved.

Reacting to the petition, the National Director of Feeder Road, promised to channel the contractors petition to the appropriate quarters but urged them to execute quality job to enable them to win more contracts.

" No Government would award contractors who would do shoddy work", Mr. Agyei emphasized.