Traders operating along the Asokwa Interchange–Ahodwo Roundabout stretch in the Ashanti Region have been ordered by Kumasi Mayor Richard Ofori-Agyemang Boadi to vacate the premises by Saturday, January 4, 2026.

During a site visit, the Kumasi Mayor urged all affected traders to comply with the instructions or face strict sanctions.

“The contractor has started work, and we anticipate accelerated progress because we have given a limited timeline for completion. We do not expect any impediments, which is why we are asking them to move,” the Mayor stated.

The directive has become necessary to pave the way for the dualisation of the Ahodwo–Asokwa Interchange section of the Southern Bypass, a crucial road linking Kumasi to key parts of the Region.

The project is expected to ease traffic congestion, boost productivity, and enhance economic activities across the Ashanti Region. Last week, Parliament approved the government’s partnership with a private company to build, operate, and maintain the Accra–Kumasi Expressway.

The approval formalises the concession agreement collaboration between the Ministry of Roads and Highways and Accra–Kumasi Expressway Limited, which aims at maintaining the expressway.

The approval will pave the way for improvements to the existing road, which is plagued by potholes, uneven surfaces, and inadequate lighting, creating significant safety risks for drivers and commuters.

The expressway project is Government of Ghana (GoG)-funded through the Ghana Infrastructure Fund (GIF). Meanwhile, Roads Minister Kwame Governs Agbodza has revealed that the budget allocated for construction work on the Accra–Kumasi bypass has increased by 100% due to galamsey pits and swampy terrain discovered in the area.

The revelation comes as the Roads Minister was debunking reports that President John Dramani Mahama had asked contractors to stop work on the bypass. Speaking to Parliament on the matter on Tuesday, November 25, Mr. Agbodza stated, "Mr Speaker, let me put it on record.

President Mahama's government never asked any contractor working on the bypasses on the Accra–Kumasi road to stop work. Indeed, I called all the contractors and encouraged them to continue working."

He added, "However, what they told me was that at the time they were asked to go to site, they were not shown details of the alignment, and this was said in the presence of the Finance Minister. They said they flew a drone and showed them the drone image of the alignment. When they got to the site and started working, they saw galamsey pits and swamp areas. So as we speak, Mr Speaker, almost all the contract prices have increased by more than a hundred percent."

On July 30, Parliament unanimously endorsed the government’s proposal to divert all royalties from oil revenues and mineral royalties to support the implementation of the Big Push Programme. This followed a government request for Parliament’s approval to commit funds to assist in the construction of certain road projects.

Chairman of Parliament's Finance Committee, Mr. Isaac Adongo, 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.”

He added that Parliament had already approved the policy and 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 GHC13.8 billion and is expected to be completed by 2028 using the country’s own financial resources.

According to the 2025 budget, GH¢5.75 billion is owed by the Road Fund, with 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 authorizations for twenty-nine road infrastructure projects under the programme, including the upgrading of Akosombo–Gyakiti–Kudikope Road, dualisation of Winneba–Mankessim Road, rehabilitation of Mankessim–Ajumako–Breman Asikuma–Agona Swedru Road, 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.

By the end of July, the government plans to settle GHC4 billion of the large debt owed to road contractors. Currently, the government owes road contractors GHC21 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. Prioritizing road construction and the swift resumption of stalled projects is seen as 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 have called for transparency.

They urged the government to publish clear timelines and payment schedules to enable contractors to plan and mobilize resources effectively.

In March, 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 GH¢67.5 billion.

Mr. Suhuyini emphasized the importance of prioritizing 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 added, "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."

The directive is part of plans to dualise the Ahodwo–Asokwa Interchange section of the Southern Bypass, a crucial road linking Kumasi to key parts of the Ashanti Region.

The narrow stretch has long caused traffic congestion, particularly during peak hours, and government intervention seeks to improve traffic flow.

The Mayor of Kumasi, Richard Ofori-Agyeman Boadi, has vowed to unleash strict measures on traders who persist in selling along pavements in Adum. Addressing a press conference on Monday, April 14, the Mayor warned that he would deploy a “democratic military style” to deal with those who refuse to vacate the area with their wares.

He has given the 'defiant' traders a two-week ultimatum to adhere to the directives and cooperate with the decongestion exercise led by the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA).

“I have my own democratic military style, which I will be implementing. When we say leave this space and you don’t leave this space, and I get there, and you’re not lucky and my boys are with me, there and then, we will beat you,” the Mayor declared.

According to the mayor, previous attempts to address the issue—such as seizing goods and arresting offenders—have proven ineffective, as traders continue to return to unauthorized areas, worsening congestion in the city’s central business district.

Highlighting the impact on Kumasi’s identity, the Mayor stressed that the lawlessness displayed by traders blocking pavements is tarnishing the city's reputation as the “Garden City of West Africa.”

“In the middle of Adum, if I’m alone, you will be lucky, but if I’m with my ten boys, in their pick-up with their whips, trust me, we will beat you,” he stated. “If you don’t want to experience that kind of situation, do what is right and lawful.”

Describing the move as a civic obligation and an act of respect toward the Asante Kingdom, Mr. Boadi added, “This is Otumfuo’s city. We must preserve its beauty and order.”

On Wednesday, April 16, the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA)implemented the exercise with force, and traders were urged to relocate to designated areas to avoid potential clashes.

Reacting to the mayor's directive, the traders expressed their dissatisfaction with the planned decongestion exercise, stating that their presence along the pavements is not by choice but rather a result of their current circumstances.

They explained that a recent fire outbreak in the area had displaced many of them, forcing them to operate in unapproved spaces as a means of survival. The traders are therefore appealing to the Mayor for more time to relocate, preferably to the yet-to-be-completed Central Market.

"We're on the streets because we have no place to go. Give us some time — we are the ones who voted for you. Provide us with a proper space; we are not animals to be whipped," they said.

The blaze, which broke out in the early hours of Friday, March 21, wreaked havoc on numerous shops and assets, leaving many traders to assess the extent of their damages.

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