Govt allocates GH¢13.8bn for Big Push: 32 Major road projects targeted: Ofankor-Nsawam abandoned road will be done — Finance Minister

The government has allocated GH¢13.8 billion in the 2025 budget for the Big Push programme, aimed at improving the country's road infrastructure, the Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, has revealed.

Presenting the 2025 Mid-Year Budget Review to Parliament yesterday, Dr Forson said the programme would focus on road projects nationwide.

The projects include constructing a new bridge on the Oti River at Dambai; the rehabilitation of the Wa-Han, Techiman-Nkonsia-Wenchi and Wenchi–Sawla roads.

Others include the upgrading of the Tumu-Hamile; Tumu-Han-Lawra roads; the reconstruction of the Navrongo-Tumu road, the dualisation of the Winneba to Mankesim, the Cape Coast to Takoradi and Adentan-Dodowa roads; the construction of the Sunyani Outer Ring road; the Kumasi Outer Ring road (Eastern Quadrant); the rehabilitation of the Gbintri - Nakpanduri road; the rehabilitation of the Dodo Pepesu – Nkwanta road and the rehabilitation of the Atimpoku - Asikuma Junction road.

The rest are the rehabilitation of the Asikuma Junction - Anyirawasi road; the reconstruction of the Anyirawasi - Ho Tritrinu road; the upgrading of the Akosombo-Gyakiti-Kudikope road; the upgrading of the Asikuma to Anum Boso-Kpalime Road; the upgrading of the Adomi Bridge to Akwamufie road; the rehabilitation of the Ho - Kpetoe road; Kpetoe-Afiadenyigba road; Afiadenyigba - Penyi road; Penyi - Aflao road; Mankessim-Ajumako-Breman Asikuma-Agona Swedru road, and Tema - Aflao road (Section 1).

The reconstruction of the Dodowa - Afienya-Dawhenya road, the upgrading of the Oyibi-Appolonia-Afienya road, the construction of the Enchi - Elubo road; the  Dadieso - Akontombra road; the upgrading of the Adwofua – Oseikojokrom road; the upgrading of the Enchi - Kudjouru - Pekyi road and the Bediako Junction - Camp 15 - Sefwi Adabokrom road are the rest of the projects to be undertaken.

Abandoned roads

Dr Forson, who is also the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam in the Central Region, disclosed that the government had also selected abandoned road projects that were not allocated funding by the previous administration to be included in the Big Push programme.

Those projects, the Finance Minister said, were the upgrading of the Kasoa-Winneba road, the Tumu to Chuchuliga to Navrongo road, including the construction of a 36-metre span reinforced concrete bridge over the Kanyibie River and a 24-metre span reinforced concrete bridge over the Bechelihu River; the rehabilitation of the Ofankor to Nsawam dual carriageway; the construction of the Suame interchange and local roads, the National Route 18 from Wa to Han road; the dualisation of the Takoradi – Agona Junction road; the reconstruction of the Navrongo - Chuchuliga - Sandema road; the rehabilitation of the Tepa (Mabang) - Goaso road; the rehabilitation of the Hohoe - Jasikan road; the upgrading of the Nkwanta - Oti Damanko Road; the reconstruction of the Have - Hohoe road; the dualisation of the Adentan - Dodowa road and the reconstruction of the Jinijini - Sampa Road.

Implementation

Dr Forson said his ministry had issued commencement authorisation for the road infrastructure projects under the Big Push programme.

He emphasised that the implementing agencies must comply with each project's agreed-upon scope of work, with no room for an increase in scope.

Dr Forson further announced that feasibility studies have been initiated for four major projects, and these are the Accra–Kumasi Expressway on an entirely new alignment, the Accra Outer Ring Road, the Kumasi Outer Ring Road and the Adawso–Ekye Amanfrom Bridge to connect the Afram Plains area.

He said the Minister for Roads and Highways will be laying a new Road Maintenance Trust Fund Bill before Parliament to replace the Ghana Road Fund.

He added that about 5,000 kilometres of roads would be reconstructed in 166 identified constituencies in dire need of road infrastructure over the next three years.

Priority projects

Dr Forson has said the country’s default on external debt service obligations on December 19, 2022, halted the disbursement of funds for 55 bilateral projects, resulting in several uncompleted projects across the country, with a massive $3 billion in undisbursed loans.

“The IMF and Official Creditor Committee (OCC) annual disbursement ceiling of $250 million for official bilateral loans means it will take a minimum of 12 years to fully draw down the undisbursed loans.

To address this challenge, he said the government had submitted a priority list of 24 projects to the OCC and IMF to accommodate the $250 million annual disbursement ceiling, prioritising projects over 70 per cent complete.

These projects, he said, were expected to trigger the resumption of disbursement upon signing of bilateral agreements between Ghana and creditor countries.

The 24 priority projects include a new bridge across the Volta River at Volivo; construction of the Tema-Aflao Road Project Phase 1; Tema Motorway roundabout through Ashaiman roundabout to Atimpoku; construction of 14 pedestrian bridges; Kumasi roads and drainage extension; Paa Grant interchange and Sekondi/Takoradi township roads phase 1; rehabilitation of Dome-Kitase road; Obetsebi Lamptey interchange Phase 2; Bolgatanga-Bawku-Pulimakom Road, and PTC Roundabout Interchange Project at Takoradi.

Others are the construction of drinking water facilities at Wenchi in the Bono Region; Sekondi-Takoradi water supply; modernisation of Komfo-Anokye Teaching Hospital; construction of Central Medical Stores in Tema; Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital in Takoradi; Bolgatanga Regional Hospital; establishments of the University of Environment and Sustainable Development at Bunso, and state-of-the-art technical and vocational education training centres.

The rest are the integrated E-learning laboratories in senior high schools (SHSs), expansion and development of existing SHSs; renewable energy programme, namely pilot photovoltaic system; renewable energy and energy efficiency programme, construction of the Takoradi Market and Kumasi Central Market Phase 2.

The Finance Minister said the resumption of disbursements and associated debt service were fully aligned with bilateral debt restructuring and IMF programme commitments, with no room for scope increases in any priority project.

Additionally, Dr Forson said his ministry had commissioned a forensic audit into some of the stalled projects, where contractors had downed tools without completing the corresponding work, adding that the Auditor-General would conduct the audit in partnership with some of the big four accounting firms.