Ghanaians are set for safe, smooth and fast travel as President John Mahama has announced a massive infrastructure expansion of roads under one of his flagship “Big Push” initiatives, stating that the project covering 1,144 kilometres is currently underway at an estimated cost of GH¢50 billion.

He made this revelation while delivering the 2026 State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Friday, February 27, describing the programme as the most extensive road-sector investment in Ghana’s history, explaining that the project will unlock key economic corridors, stimulate employment, and reduce the cost of transporting goods and services.

The president continued that, aside from the new projects, the government is competing for 23 road contracts inherited from the previous administration, which cover 573 kilometres at GH¢15 billion. In total, nearly 2,000 kilometres of roads are being upgraded or rehabilitated across all 16 regions, with 73 projects already showing measurable progress.

One of the major projects is the Accra-Kumasi highway. The government has proposed a 198.7-kilometre six-lane Accra–Kumasi Expressway aimed at reducing travel time from about 5-6 hours to just 2 and a half hours. Also, one of the country’s busiest and oldest expressways will see a facelift and feature eight interchanges and advanced safety systems.

To oversee the project, the government has established Accra-Kumasi Expressway Limited, a subsidiary of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund, to manage design, financing, construction, and long-term operation under a concession arrangement of up to 50 years. Feasibility studies and detailed engineering designs are ongoing.

Other strategic undertakings include the completion of the Eastern Corridor Road by 2027, the transformation of the Accra–Tema Motorway into a four-lane expressway with service roads and interchanges, and upgrades to the Kumasi Inner Ring Road. Bridge infrastructure is also progressing, notably the Dambai Bridge across the River Oti and the Adawso Bridge over the River Afram.

Derailing how these road projects will be financed, President Mahama revealed that the cabinet has approved the reinstating of tolls this year, but adopting digital technology to check accountability and block any leakages in revenue, adding that the toll system will take effect later this year.

On the transport system

Rapid urbanisation in recent years has outpaced the availability of buses, leading to overcrowding, long waiting times, and unreliable service. This sparked a national debate with the Minority in Parliament slamming the government for failing to provide enough buses under Metro Mass Transit and Ayalolo, saying this has left ordinary Ghanaians “standing in endless queues, waiting for buses that never come.”

In reaction to this, President Mahama has detailed that the government has acquired 300 buses for Intercity STC Coaches Limited, Metro Mass Transit Limited, and selected private operators, with the first 100 scheduled for delivery by the end of the first quarter.

“In aviation, passenger traffic handled by the Ghana Airports Company Limited rose to 3.625 million in 2025, up from 3.4 million the previous year. To manage congestion at Terminal 3, Terminal 2 at Kotoka International Airport will be remodelled into a dual domestic and international facility, supported by a new concourse, multi-storey car park, hotel facilities, and retail outlets. Runway expansion works are also underway,” he added.

Plans are also in motion to develop new regional airports in Sunyani, Bolgatanga, and Wa. Rail modernisation continues with efforts to operationalise the Tema–Pakadan line and upgrade both western and eastern corridors.

“At the ports, a 24-hour operational system has commenced at Tema Port to reduce congestion and improve trade efficiency. Cabinet has also reviewed feasibility studies for the proposed Keta Port project,” President Mahama noted.

He underscored that the integrated transport overhaul is central to national transformation, declaring that “the whole of Ghana is going to become a construction site” as infrastructure development accelerates across the country.

Meanwhile, early this year, the Big Push received financial support from the African Development Bank (AfDB). The information was made public following an agreement signed between the Bank and the Minister for Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, on Thursday, January 29.

The US$12.83 million grant supported detailed feasibility studies, including full designs, costings, and environmental and social impact assessments.

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

The allocation was more than double the funding for the same programme the previous year, which stood at GH¢13.8 billion. According to President Mahama, the allocation was aimed at reviving stalled projects, particularly within 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 depended 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, 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 era of abandoned road projects was ending, as the government remained committed to completing all ongoing and future works within the stipulated timeframe. According to him, all Big Push projects were expected to begin by the end of August, excluding the Dambai Bridge, which was to commence once its structural work had been finalised.

“The average Ghanaian had come to accept something that was completely unacceptable, because they saw road projects start around their communities without clear completion timelines. We wanted to reset that narrative. All the projects were deliberately structured to span two years, or 24 months, and would not exceed that period,” he said.