Kennedy Osei Nyarko
Ranking Member on the Roads and Transportation Committee, Kennedy Osei Nyarko, has dismissed suggestions of financial mismanagement in the execution of the Ofankor-Nsawam Road project, insisting that government financing arrangements have been transparent and well-documented.
The Akim Swedru Member of Parliament (MP) explained that the actual contract sum for the 33.4-kilometre road was $346.479 million.
Of this amount, the then New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration secured a $200 million loan facility, while government contributed $146.479 million from its own budget as counterpart funding.
Quoting the Auditor-General’s report, Mr. Osei Nyarko stressed that about 70 percent of the total contract sum, equivalent to $241 million, had already been paid to the contractor before the previous NPP administration left office.
He added that by January 6, 2025, the project had achieved 70 percent completion.
“The facts remain that the Ofankor-Nsawam Road is progressing, and despite the delays caused by litigation, work is nearing completion,” he stated.
The MP further explained that the original completion date of July 2024 was missed due to over 80 lawsuits from individuals affected by the demolition of structures along the right of way.
“Some obtained injunctions to stop the contractor, while others challenged the compensation offered in court. These suits stalled progress and shifted the timeline,” he explained.
He noted that most of the cases were resolved by the end of June this year, paving the way for accelerated work.
His explanation comes after President John Dramani Mahama, during an inspection of the road on Wednesday, questioned the use of funds for the project.
“A loan was taken for this project and I don’t understand why the money is finished but the project is not over. We are now having to pay an additional GH¢78 million from government funds. We need to find out what really happened, whether the estimates were wrong or something else went wrong,” President Mahama remarked.
The Ofankor-Nsawam Road is considered one of the country’s most critical transport corridors, linking Accra to Kumasi and serving as a major route for commuters and trade.
Its completion is expected to ease congestion and boost economic activity between the country’s two largest cities.
By Ernest Kofi Adu