Kwame Governs Agbodza
The Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwame Governs Agbodza, has assured contractors of the Accra-Kumasi Highway that the government is committed to complete all ongoing road projects, including the development of a new expressway to link the two major cities in the country.
Speaking to road contractors in the Eastern Region during his nationwide road inspection tour, Mr. Agbodza mentioned that the proposed Accra-Kumasi Expressway is not to replace the existing highway, but to complement it as part of a broader national road infrastructure strategy, stressing that both projects are considered priorities under the government’s transport development agenda.
“The government has the intention to build a new road known as the Accra-Kumasi Expressway, which is not a substitute for the existing Accra-Kumasi Highway. It is supposed to complement that one. So nobody should be afraid that because we are doing the expressway, the existing ones will no longer be a priority,” he said.
He explained that the expressway is expected operate on a commercial basis, offering alternatives for motorists to use the current highway to their destination.
“For instance, this is an existing road by the ECOWAS convention that we have signed up to, we need to build expressways. But when you build expressways, you must have an alternative because the expressways are supposed to be commercial,” he said.
He added that motorists would have the option to choose the route to travel depending on the cost and their travel time preferences.
“So if somebody wants to drive from Accra to Kumasi on the expressway and pay $10, $50, whatever the cost may be, somebody can do it in two hours. Somebody can decide, I want to do the existing Accra-Kumasi in five hours, six hours. That is a choice for the person to do,” he explained.
“In any case, that will also be tolled anyway because it’s an investment we are putting in it. So let everybody in the country be assured that the two projects are priorities for the government. We are going to complete all of them,” he added.
He further assured the contractors that the government will complete all outstanding works on both projects, and expressed optimism that most of the ongoing projects could be delivered by the end of 2027 if implementation proceeds as planned.
Mr. Agbodza stated that the assurance is meant to reinforce the government’s commitment to infrastructure development and improve clarity for stakeholders in the road sector.
By Florence Asamoah Adom