Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the Minister of State in Charge of Government Communications, has debunked claims that the NDC’s flagship Big Push road project is stalling.
According to Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the Big Push road agenda is fully funded for 2025–2026.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s Face to Face on Tuesday, December 9, Mr Kwakye Ofosu explained, “We have said that we will not pay mobilisation fees, because there are instances where contractors have been paid mobilisation [fees], and they have not done the work. However, if a contractor raises a certificate after doing work, and it is certified to reflect the actual work done, within a matter of 30 days, the certificates will be honoured.”
He detailed, “And the Finance Minister [Dr Ato Forson] has made that very clear. So those who claim that Big Push is not being done because mobilisation has not been done are clearly wrong on that one. This year alone, another GHC30 billion has been allocated for Big Push roads to be contracted. Because roads are one of the biggest problems we have in this country.”
“One of the major campaign promises that President John Dramani Mahama put before the people of Ghana was a Big Push agenda. And since we have been in power, at least GHC43 billion has been earmarked for that expenditure. GHC13.9 billion in 2025 and GHC30 billion in 2026”.
Felix Kwakye Ofosu further announced that 30 different road projects are being constructed and are at various stages of completion.
The minister added, “Indeed, as I speak to you, there are about 30 different roads that are at various stages of construction. Some of those roads are roads that we inherited, that the NPP, as usual, left no money for, did not leave any funding mechanism for. So that has been packaged and added to new roads that are being constructed”.
“The Accra-Kumasi road has been a long-standing bottleneck. It has become a death trap. Every now and then, there was some digging or some construction going on. But never gets completed. The President has stated that those roads will be continued.
“However, it has become necessary because of the constraints on those roads and the dangers that they pose. And the number of lives that are being lost daily. It has become necessary to open another corridor, which is shorter.
He further touched on the government’s ambitious 198km Accra–Kumasi expressway project.
“It is less than 200 kilometres, 197 kilometres. But this will be a modern expressway that will have facilities that will aid rapid movements between Accra and Kumasi, with various other facilities along the stretch.
“And every country that has developed has done so by creating expansive infrastructure that facilitates the movement of goods and people”, he added.
Meanwhile, President John Mahama has made a bold declaration that Ghana will have the best roads in West Africa within the next 24 months under the Big Push Initiative.
According to John Mahama, his government is dedicated to constructing more roads over the next two years, with the aim of making transportation safer and more efficient.
Speaking at the sod-cutting ceremony of the 195-kilometre Wenchi–Bole–Sawla–Wa Road, President Mahama stated, “I wish to repeat my apology and regret to the people of Ghana that with the start of the big push, the whole of Ghana is going to be a construction site for the next two years.
Wherever in this county you go, the road will be under construction, so I ask the Ghanaians to be patient with us and to accept the inconvenience.
Twenty-four months after the launch of the Big Push, you will have the best roads in West Africa”.