Mr Justice Yaw Appau, Sole Commissioner at the Judgment Debt Commission on Tuesday asked why there was no date on a contract signed by the Ministry of Roads and Highways and the Construction Pioneers (CP).

This was after Mr Philip Lartey, Deputy Director at the Department of Urban Roads presented the contract signed by the Ministry of Roads and Highways and CP for the construction of Sankara Circle- Liberation road, section of the High Streets road and the Independence Avenue road.

At the sitting of the Commission, Justice Appau expressed surprised that there was no date on the contract awarded.

He said such avoidable errors make it imperative for government to allow technical people to handle such issues.

“It is high time the technical people are allowed to handle technical issues in this country so that they would be able to see to it that the right things are done,” he advised.

Mr Michael Abieteh Abbey, Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Highway Authority also presented contracts to the Commission signed between the Ministry of Roads and Highways and CP, in respect to the Biriwa-Takoradi road, Assin Praso-Yamoransa road, Akim Oda/Asamankese/New Abirem-Nkawkaw road and the Obuasi town roads.

He explained that, CP carried out works on the Biriwa-Takoradi road and that of the Obuasi town roads, but failed to work on Assin Praso-Yamoransa road and Akim Oda/Asamankese/New Abirem-Nkawkaw road.

He said with regards to the Assin Praso-Yamoransa road, CP failed to produce performance security and mixed design for the asphalt, for approval and was therefore not allowed to start work.

Mr Abbey said CP however they made a claim for loss of profit at the arbitration leading to the payment of judgment debt, even though they never constructed those roads.

When asked about the role of the Ghana Highway Authority, Mr Abbey explained that, the Authority exists to supervise government sponsored road works, by ensuring that the work is done according to specifications, whilst it sometimes act as engineer for government on such road projects.

Justice Appau however questioned why supervisory works on government sponsored roads are not given to private consultant but the Ghana Highway Authority which always fuelled the perception of a conflict of interest.

Mr Abbey responded that, such supervisory works on government road projects is the mandate of the Ghana Highway Authority and engineers of the Authority are enjoined to be impartial.

Madam Dorothy Afriyie Ansah, Chief State Attorney also appeared before the Commission to present documents in respect to the compensation paid to a victim of the helicopter crash in the Atiwa forest.

She however promised to bring the documents later as they were still gathering them.