Former Roads and Highways Minister, Francis Asenso-Boakye, has appealed to President John Dramani Mahama to reconsider his administration’s decision to construct a new six-lane expressway between Accra and Kumasi, urging instead that the government focus on completing the ongoing dualisation works started under the previous administration.
The Bantama MP described the proposal for a new expressway as ‘premature and potentially wasteful,’ citing the extensive progress already made on the current dual carriageway project.
In a strongly worded letter dated August 4 and addressed to President Mahama, the former Roads and Highways Minister noted that over 100 kilometres of the 240km stretch between Accra and Kumasi have already been completed, with an additional 46 kilometres currently under construction, including strategic bypasses at Anyinam, Osino, Enyiresi, and Konongo. He said physical progress on these bypasses ranges from 58% to 100%, leaving only 94 kilometres left to be dualised.
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“The recent announcement to initiate a completely new expressway project, while these works are underway, raises genuine concern,” he warned, pointing to the fact that even the Roads Minister admitted that a consultant had yet to be hired for the feasibility study of the new proposal.
“This suggests that there is no final design, cost estimate, or secured funding for the proposed expressway. Yet, Your Excellency stated publicly that construction will begin next year and be completed before your term ends, a timeline of less than three years. With my expertise and experience, I can say, without any fear of contradiction, that this timeline is not feasible,” the former minister asserted.
Asenso-Boakye stressed that such announcements risk undermining Ghana’s credibility in infrastructure planning, and reminded the President of Article 35(7) of the 1992 Constitution, which mandates successive governments to continue development projects initiated by their predecessors.
“Abandoning an ongoing project – one that is technically sound, economically justified, and already delivering results – contradicts this constitutional directive and may set a precedent of wasteful governance,” he said.
He acknowledged concerns about cost overruns on the current project but insisted that these should not be grounds for halting progress.
“Variations and cost adjustments are common in major infrastructure works and can be managed within existing contractual and legal frameworks. Discontinuing a critical national project based on unresolved variations not only undermines continuity but also sets a troubling precedent,” he stated.
He urged the Mahama administration to focus on completing the existing dualisation project and redirecting resources to other vital corridors, such as the Eastern Corridor, the Coastal (N1) highway, and the Kumasi-Tamale highway.
“My concern is borne, not out of partisanship, but in the interest of continuity, prudence, and national development. I respectfully urge you to review the current course and provide leadership that consolidates, not disrupts, the modest gains we have made as a country,” he said.