Agbodza warns steel firms, scrap dealers face jail over stolen road materials

The Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwame Governs Agbodza, has vowed to clamp down on scrap dealers and steel manufacturing companies involved in the theft of government-installed road materials.

Speaking before the Public Accounts Committee in Parliament, the minister said investigations have revealed that several stolen metal gratings, which are important for road safety, have ended up at some steel factories.

He cautioned that both the individuals selling these materials and the companies buying them will face prosecution and possible jail sentences.

Mr Agbodza said the government is about to begin prosecutions, adding that any steel company that buys metal gratings taken from public roads will face the full force of the law, and the individuals who sell them will also be jailed.

He also disclosed that one person has already been convicted for removing guard rails along the Obetsebi Lamptey Interchange and selling them as scrap metal.

The minister described the theft and vandalism of road infrastructure as a growing national concern that drains public funds meant for new construction and maintenance projects.

In addition to the issue of theft, Mr Agbodza expressed concern about the rapid deterioration of major highways, which he attributed to overloaded cargo trucks, especially those operating from the ports.

He explained that most axle load control stations across the country are not working, allowing overloaded trucks to evade checks and cause severe damage to the roads.

To address this, the government has increased fines for overloading from five thousand Ghana cedis to fifty thousand Ghana cedis as part of stricter enforcement measures.

The minister called on transport operators, industry players and the general public to help protect the nation’s road infrastructure, stressing that no amount of fines can repair the damage caused when the roads are destroyed.