Francis Asenso-Boakye, the former Roads and Highways Minister, has replied to Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, the Minister of Finance, after he accused him of writing to President John Mahama opposing the Accra-Kumasi Expressway project.
The Finance Minister revealed, Francis Asenso-Boakye wrote to President Mahama describing the planned Accra-Kumasi Expressway as wasteful.
According to Ato Forson, the Bantama MP’s letter opposing the project was surprising because the project will directly benefit his constituency and the people of the Ashanti Region.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Thursday, November 27, 2025, Dr Ato Forson stated, “Mr Speaker, on the issue of the Accra-Kumasi Expressway, let me take my time, Mr Speaker, to correct some impressions. Mr Speaker, the Honourable Asenso-Boakye suggested that the proposed Accra-Kumasi Expressway is wasteful and that we in the opposition oppose the dualization. Speaker, that cannot be the case.
“Mr Speaker, I was surprised and amazed to see a colleague Member of Parliament, particularly an MP from Kumasi, describe the project as wasteful. Mr Speaker, an MP for whose constituency the road is leading will say that the road is wasteful,” Dr Ato Forson, who is the MP for Ajumako-Enyan-Esiam, said.
He added, “Mr Speaker, to the extent that the said MP wrote to the President to say to the President, ‘don’t do that project.’ Speaker, I’m surprised to hear that. Mr Speaker, this road from Accra to Kumasi is more than a road. It is opening up the country. So for an MP from that constituency to write and say that the road is wasteful and that we should not do it, and write to the President that the President should not do the project… it’s untenable.”
In a sharp rebuttal, Francis Asenso-Boakye, in a statement, stressed he petitioned President John Mahama not to stop any development initiative.
According to him, he only challenged the rationale behind abandoning an ongoing dualisation project that was already 64 per cent complete adding that he rather called for prudence, continuity, and proper planning.
Francis Asenso-Boakye’s statement read, “It is important to correct the Finance Minister’s recent claim that I wrote to the President to stop the Accra–Kumasi expressway.”
This assertion is not accurate.
My letter to the President is publicly available, and its content speaks for itself. At no point did I advocate for the project to be stopped. Rather, I called for prudence, continuity, and proper planning — principles clearly reflected in Article 35(7) of our Constitution.
My concerns were simple and practical:
• How can a start date and completion timeline be announced for a new expressway when the Roads Minister himself has confirmed that there is no feasibility study, no final design, no cost, and no secured funding?
• Why abandon an ongoing dualisation project that is already 64% physically complete, meets the same objective, and will cost the nation significantly less to finish than initiating an entirely new highway?
These are legitimate questions rooted in national interest, fiscal responsibility, and professional judgment, not opposition to development.
It is, therefore, unfortunate that my position has been misrepresented. Public discourse, especially on major infrastructure matters, requires clarity and fairness”, the post added.
See the post below:
Hon. @BoakyeAsenso response to the lies peddled by the finance minister
— CASTIN (@CASTINBILLZ) November 28, 2025
It is important to correct the Finance Minister’s recent claim that I “wrote to the President to stop the Accra–Kumasi expressway.”
This assertion is not accurate.
My letter to the President is publicly…