The Ghana Audit Service has issued a surcharge against 35 contractors to pay $7.9 million (approximately GH¢94.6 million) to the state.
The amount was paid to them as mobilisation fees to execute Agenda 111 hospital projects on 19 sites. Out of the $11.16 million paid to the contractors, they together executed work valued at $5.96 million.
An additional $4.35 million was paid to 11 companies, who together executed up to $2.49 million of inception work, leaving $1.92 million of work not done before their contracts were terminated.
After receiving the various mobilisation sums paid between December 2021 and December 2024, some of the contractors (being surcharged) failed to move to the site, and others executed work less than 10 per cent of the value of the payments received.
The findings are contained in a validation review after a special audit into the contracts of Agenda 111 contracts
The findings have compelled the Auditor-General, Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu, to invoke his constitutional powers to surcharge all 35 companies and individuals to recover the full amount.
The audit, which examined payment records and conducted physical inspections of project sites, uncovered a pattern where contractors received the standard 10 per cent of their contract sum as mobilisation, intended to fund preparatory works and expedite commencement, but delivered little to nothing in return.
Breakdown
Of the total amount, 24 contractors, whose contracts are still valid, are to refund $5.96 million because the work done is grossly inadequate compared to the mobilisation they received.
