The government has secured $2 billion to fund the construction of the Accra-Kumasi Expressway, with President John Dramani Mahama saying arrangements have been made to ensure money does not become a bottleneck once work starts.
According to the President, the funds have already been set aside in a dedicated account at the Bank of Ghana, allowing the government to meet payment obligations to the contractor as the project progresses.
He explained that the arrangement is intended to ensure certificates submitted by the contractor are paid promptly, thereby reducing the risk of delays or interruptions during construction.
“This is our own money. We have not gone to borrow money from anywhere. This money is the taxpayers’ money,” President Mahama reportedly said on Monday, September 14, during the handover ceremony for the 175.6-kilometre cleared right-of-way for the expressway.
The project, which is expected to significantly improve road connectivity between Accra and Kumasi, is being presented by the government as a major infrastructure investment supported entirely by domestic resources.
Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson has also given an assurance that the government will have the full amount required for the project available by December 31, 2026.
He reiterated the government’s position that it will not resort to borrowing to finance the construction of the expressway, with the funding arrangement instead relying on taxpayer resources.
President Mahama has further instructed the Roads and Highways Minister to ensure that the Ghana Armed Forces Engineers Regiment is incorporated into the project as a major subcontractor to the main contractor.
The directive adds a local technical component to the project, with the military engineers expected to play a significant role in the construction works.
The handover of the cleared right-of-way marks another step towards the physical commencement of the long-awaited expressway project, which is expected to transform travel between the two major cities and improve the movement of people and goods along the corridor.
