The Minister for Works, Housing and Water Resources, Ahmed Ibrahim, has threatened to blacklist contractors who fail to execute government’s drain-dredging projects as agreed.

He said contractors who are found absent from project sites during monitoring exercises or fail to meet their contractual obligations will be barred from bidding for future projects under the Ministry and its agencies.

The Minister also warned that contractors whose certificates come up for renewal could face difficulties if they have been blacklisted for poor performance.

Speaking on the government’s approach to monitoring public projects, Mr Ibrahim said there must be a clear mechanism for tracking commitments made, milestones achieved, challenges encountered and the corrective measures required to address delays.

He disclosed that the Ministry would intensify monitoring of 66 ongoing projects, with Ministers, Directors and other officials expected to visit project sites to assess progress.

“Contractors, I’m using this medium to tell you: if you came for our contract, good. We are coming there. If we come and you are not there, we will blacklist you,” he warned.

According to him, once a contractor is blacklisted, the company will not qualify to bid for contracts in any of the Ministry’s departments or agencies.

The Minister said the move was necessary to strengthen accountability and ensure that government projects are delivered for the benefit of citizens who provide the funds through their taxes.

He stressed that the government could no longer tolerate a system where contractors receive public contracts but fail to deliver on their commitments.

The monitoring exercise is particularly significant as the government undertakes drain-dredging works aimed at improving drainage capacity and reducing the risk of flooding in communities across the country.

Poorly maintained drains, choked waterways and inadequate drainage infrastructure have contributed to flooding in several parts of Ghana, particularly during periods of heavy rainfall.

Mr Ibrahim said the government would therefore demand measurable progress from contractors and ensure that challenges affecting projects are identified and addressed promptly.

He also rejected what he described as an era of political entitlement, insisting that contractors must demonstrate competence and deliver on the work for which they have been engaged.

“The era of political entitlement, ɔbii, is a thing of the past,” he said, adding that government’s focus would be on performance and delivery.

The Minister’s warning forms part of a broader push by the Ministry to strengthen monitoring and accountability in the implementation of public infrastructure projects and ensure that taxpayers receive value for money.