Big Push Programme: Akosombo-Gyakiti-Kudikope road project ahead of schedule — Contractor
Work on the 32-kilometre Akosombo–Gyakiti–Kudikope–Yeniama Sedom road is progressing at an unprecedented pace, with the contractor, Messrs Mmanab Company Limited, revealing that the project is significantly ahead of schedule despite not receiving any payment yet.
The road, which links Akosombo to communities such as Akwamu Adjena, Adumasa, Gyakiti, and other surrounding areas in the Asuogyaman District of the Eastern Region, has long been a source of anguish for residents.
For years, the stretch was described as a death trap, with repeated demonstrations by affected communities yielding little response.
Residents recall how the poor condition of the road discouraged drivers from using the stretch, while those who dared to ply it often charged exorbitant fares due to the difficulty of navigating the rugged terrain.
However, the Mahama administration has commenced the upgrading of the road under the government’s Big Push Programme, an infrastructure initiative aimed at improving connectivity and boosting economic activity across the country.
Schedule
During a site visit over the weekend, the Resident Engineer at Mmanab Company Limited, Bismark Sarfo, disclosed that the project was running well ahead of its two-year timeline.
He attributed the rapid progress to the company’s determination to meet timelines and raise certificates for payment, as no funds have been released to them since work began.
“In just four months, we have achieved about 80 per cent completion of the concrete works. Earthworks have also commenced from scratch, and considering our plant capacity — including 15 tipper trucks, five excavators, two graders, and five rollers — we are confident of completing the project on schedule,” Mr Sarfo told journalists.
He explained that the company had mobilised heavily from its own resources, pushing itself to work at an accelerated pace so that certificates could be raised to facilitate payment.
“We have not received money yet, so we are pushing ourselves to stay on schedule.
Once we raise our certificates, we expect to be paid accordingly. That is why we are working fast,” he added.
According to the company, the project workforce includes four engineers, six surveyors, three project managers, 14 subcontractors handling concrete works, 15 drivers, and six machine operators.
Ongoing drainage works
The project, which is expected to be completed within two years, is anticipated to significantly enhance economic activities and boost tourism in the area, providing a major facelift to a road that had become notorious for its dangerous state.
Assembly Member for the Anyaase Electoral Area, Kwaku Aduah, commended the contractor for the progress made so far, contrasting the current efforts with past disappointments.
“The Mmanab Company is doing extremely well.
This is not wheelbarrow contracting.
We have seen contractors in the past who could not deliver to expectation, but I believe this team will complete the work on schedule,” he said.
He added that the project would improve access to markets and create job opportunities for the youth in the district, bringing relief to communities that had for years been cut off by the poor state of the road.
Road impact
A drive from Akosombo towards the project site offers a glimpse of why this road matters far beyond mere asphalt and concrete.
Leaving the town behind, the route unfolds along the edge of the Volta Lake, its vast, shimmering expanse stretching to the horizon under the afternoon sun.
In the distance, the Adomi Bridge stands as a sentinel, while the surrounding mountains rise in layers of green, their ridges folding into one another like crumpled velvet.
Farms dot the roadside, and every few kilometres, clusters of women displaying smoked fish and fresh produce emerge, their trade long hampered by the road’s former state.
It is a landscape of breathtaking beauty, one that holds immense potential for tourism, from lakeside resorts to boat cruises and mountain-view lodges.
But, for years, that potential remained locked away, inaccessible to all but the most daring drivers willing to brave the cratered surface.
Now, with the ongoing works under the Big Push Programme, residents and hospitality operators alike are hopeful that this corridor will finally be opened to the visitors it has long deserved.
Big push roads
The government’s flagship Big Push Programme focuses on the construction and rehabilitation of critical roads, bridges, and other public infrastructure to stimulate economic growth, improve connectivity, and create jobs.
Parliament approved GH¢13.8 billion for major road projects in 2025, while the 2026 Budget allocated an additional GH¢30 billion for strategic roads and bridges, as well as support for rural and agricultural access roads.
