The government has allocated GH¢30.8 billion to its flagship Big Push road construction initiative in the 2026 national budget. President John Dramani Mahama revealed this while cutting the sod for the Wa Big Push Project on Tuesday, November 11.

The allocation is more than double the funding for the same program this year, which was GH¢13.8 billion. According to President Mahama, the recent allocation is aimed at reviving stalled projects, specifically in the northern transport corridors, as well as developing new road networks.

“This initiative is a cornerstone of our long-term national development agenda,” he declared, emphasising that the success of the Big Push depends on quality work, fiscal discipline, and public accountability.

“To our contractors and engineers, let me be clear: the day of poor construction, inflated claims, and abandoned projects is over. Ghana deserves better. You must deliver quality on schedule and within budget, and the Ghanaian taxpayer must see value in every kilometre of road we construct,” President Mahama said.

Meanwhile, the Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwame Governs Agbodza, has projected a two-year timeline for the completion of all current and upcoming road projects under the government’s “Big Push” initiative.

In an interview with the media on Friday, July 31, Mr. Agbodza stated that the days when road projects were abandoned midway are over, as the government is committed to completing all ongoing and future works within the stipulated timeframe.According to him, all “Big Push” projects will begin by the end of August, excluding the Dambai Bridge, which will commence once its structural work has been finalised.

“The average Ghanaian has come to accept something that is completely unacceptable, because they see road projects start around their backyard, and no one can tell them when it will be completed. We want to reset. ‘Reset’ means we need to change that narrative. All the projects have been deliberately structured to span two years, 24 months, and we will not go beyond that,” he said.

“Sometimes, a contractor is awarded 100 kilometres of road. People forget that constructing 100 kilometres is not a small undertaking. There may be people who are more interested in how much it costs — they focus on the money involved. So contractors take the job, and for seven or eight years, they do nothing. We want to avoid that,” he added.

Parliament on July 30 unanimously endorsed the government’s proposal to divert all royalties received from oil revenues and mineral royalties to support the implementation of the Big Push Programme.

This comes after the government requested Parliament to approve committing funds to assist in the construction of certain road projects.

Mr. Isaac Adongo, the Chairman of the Parliament's Finance Committee, while presenting the report by the Budget and Finance joint committee to the plenary, said, “The Committee has carefully considered the Referral, and it is of the opinion that the request is in the right direction.”

The Committee also noted that Parliament had already approved the policy and the allocation to the “Big Push” Programme in the 2025 Budget Statement. Granting the request would enable the government to enter into multi-year contracts to execute the road infrastructure projects under the programme.

“The Committee accordingly recommends to the House to approve the Request for the multi-year commitments for the selected road projects under the ‘Big Push’ Programme contained in the Mid-Year Fiscal Policy Review of the 2025 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government of Ghana, in accordance with Section 33 of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921),” Mr. Adongo said.

The initiative, aimed at improving road infrastructure across the country, is estimated at GH¢13.8 billion, and it is expected to be completed by 2028 with support from the country’s own financial resources. According to the 2025 budget, GH¢5.75 billion is owed by the Road Fund, with an allocation of GH¢2.81 billion programmed for road maintenance.

This represents a 155.5% increase from the 2024 allocation of GH¢1.1 billion, underscoring the government’s emphasis on sustaining Ghana’s road network.

The Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwame Governs Agbodza, on Wednesday, July 30, revealed that his ministry has undertaken studies and prepared comprehensive engineering interventions and cost estimates for road projects under the Big Push Programme.

The Ministry of Finance has since issued commitment authorisations for some twenty-nine (29) road infrastructure projects under the Big Push Programme, which include: Upgrading of Akosombo-Gyakiti-Kudikope Road, Dualization of Winneba-Mankessim Road, Rehabilitation of Mankessim-Ajumako-Breman Asikuma-Agona Swedru, Construction of Enchi-Elubo Road, and Rehabilitation of Atimpoku-Asikuma Junction Road.

The government has also selected a number of abandoned road projects for which no dedicated funding was allocated by the previous administration.

These include rehabilitation and upgrading of Kasoa-Winneba Road, construction of Suame Interchange and local roads, reconstruction of Navrongo-Chuchuliga-Sandema Road, and upgrading of Tumu-Chuchuliga-Navrongo, including construction of a 36m-span reinforced concrete bridge over the Kanyibie River and a 24m-span reinforced concrete bridge over the Bechelihu River.

The government will, by the end of July, settle GH¢4 billion out of the large debt owed to road contractors. Currently, the government owes road contractors GH¢21 billion, according to the Roads Minister. President John Mahama emphasized his government's commitment to infrastructure development under his administration’s 24-hour economy agenda.

He noted that prioritising road construction and the swift resumption of stalled road projects is key to promoting economic growth and productivity by ensuring adequate regional connectivity.

The announcement has been met with excitement and optimism by many stakeholders in the construction sector. The Ghana Institute of Engineers and the Association of Road Contractors have largely welcomed the president's announcement, but they have called for transparency.

They have urged the government to publish clear timelines and payment schedules to ensure that contractors can plan and mobilise resources effectively.

In March this year, Deputy Minister for Roads and Highways, Alhassan Suhuyini, acknowledged the significant financial burden facing the government to clear outstanding debts owed to contractors and suppliers.

His remarks followed the presentation of the 2025 budget by Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, who disclosed that the government’s total commitments to contractors stand at a staggering GH¢67.5 billion.

He emphasized the importance of prioritising road maintenance, a sector that has suffered due to poor upkeep. "The minister has stressed that a significant portion of these funds will be directed toward road maintenance. This is a smart move because our poor maintenance culture has resulted in roads deteriorating within 8 to 10 years instead of lasting longer," he explained.

Mr. Suhuyini noted that, in addition to paying off some existing road maintenance debts, the government is looking at a broader infrastructure push. "With GH¢10 to GH¢13 billion allocated under the ‘Big Push’ initiative, several new road projects will commence, while some outstanding debts will also be retired," he added.