President John Dramani Mahama has revealed that $2 billion has been allocated for the construction of the Accra-Kumasi Expressway, assuring that funding will be available throughout the project.

He said the money for the project, which was locally generated and not borrowed, has been set aside in a designated account at the Bank of Ghana (BoG) to facilitate prompt payment to the contractor and prevent delays in the execution of the project.

President Mahama disclosed this while speaking at the handover ceremony of the 175.6-kilometre right-of-way cleared by the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) on Monday, September 14.

“Two billion dollars has been allocated for the construction of the Accra–Kumasi Expressway, and the funds have been secured in a dedicated account at the Bank of Ghana to facilitate prompt payment to the contractor and prevent delays in the execution of the project.”

“Payments for all certificates submitted by the contractor will be made promptly to ensure that construction progresses without delays,” he said.

He also directed the Minister for Roads and Highways to engage the Ghana Armed Forces Engineers Regiment as a major subcontractor to the main contractor for the project.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson has assured that the full amount needed for the construction of the Accra-Kumasi Expressway will be available by December 31, 2026.

He reiterated that the government would not resort to borrowing to finance the project.

The development comes after the Ghana Armed Forces completed the clearance of 175.6 kilometres of the project’s right-of-way in 19 weeks, one week ahead of the scheduled 20-week timeline.

Project details

Eight grade-separated interchanges, 11 vehicle overpasses and 55 mainline bridges are among the key structures planned for the Accra-Kumasi Expressway. This forms part of the government’s effort to improve safety and ease traffic along the corridor.

The Managing Director of the Accra-Kumasi Expressway Limited, Engineer Francisco, made this known at the handover ceremony of a 175.6-kilometre right-of-way cleared by the Ghana Armed Forces on Monday, September 14.

He said the project would stretch approximately 198.7 kilometres, linking Ablekuma in the Greater Accra Region to Sewua in the Ashanti Region. The development includes 176 kilometres of new expressway, as well as roughly 23 kilometres of upgraded connector roads serving the Accra and Kumasi termini.

He added, “When completed, this road will provide safer and more reliable transport and reduce the pressure on the N6”.

The Accra-Kumasi Expressway is a flagship project under the government’s Big Push Infrastructure Programme.

The work involves preparing the designated route for the next phase of the expressway project by securing the right of way needed before full-scale road construction begins.

Once completed, the Accra–Kumasi Expressway is expected to boost the link between Ghana’s two major cities, shorten journey times, and help address congestion.

The project is also expected to make the transportation of passengers and goods between Accra and Kumasi more efficient.

It is also expected to reduce the frequency of accidents on the particular highway.

The Accra-Kumasi highway has a long-standing record of having several accident cases linked to poor road conditions, reckless driving, among others.