The Minister of State for Works and Transport, Fred Byamukama, has directed contractors undertaking national road projects to immediately resume work on stalled sites, assuring them that the government is committed to settling all verified outstanding payments.
Byamukama issued the directive after meeting contractors responsible for the construction and rehabilitation of national roads across the country to review the progress of ongoing projects and discuss pending contractual obligations.
He said the government would honour its financial obligations once all outstanding claims have been verified, but stressed that contractors should not use delayed payments as a reason to halt project implementation.
"Government is committed to settling verified outstanding payments, and I urged all contractors to immediately resume work on stalled projects and ensure they are completed within the agreed contract timelines," Byamukama said.
He said timely completion of road projects remains a government priority because of their role in improving connectivity, facilitating trade and lowering transport costs, which are critical to economic growth.
The minister also urged foreign contractors operating in Uganda to partner with and mentor local construction firms to build domestic technical capacity and increase local participation in the road construction sector.
"I strongly advocate for foreign contractors to partner with and mentor local firms to strengthen Uganda's capacity in the road construction sector," he said.
The meeting comes amid concerns over delays on several national road projects, with contractors citing delayed payments, rising construction costs and other contractual challenges that have slowed implementation. The government is seeking to accelerate the completion of strategic road infrastructure while addressing contractors' verified payment claims.
