I’ll improve road network to ease traffic in Kwahu - President Mahama assures

President John Dramani Mahama has pledged to transform the Kwahu enclave in the Eastern Region into a business, industrial and tourism hub by improving the road network in the area under the Big Push initiative.

The President said a good road network would make transportation within the enclave easier by reducing traffic congestion in the area, particularly during the Easter period, when many people trooped to Obomeng, Mpraeso, Atibie, Bepong Obo and other towns in the area.

He also made known his desire to construct an airstrip and a permanent convention and exhibition centre at Kwahu to enable flights to land frequently.

"The traffic congestion associated with the Kwahu Easter festivities is something that worries business minded people in the area so I will do everything possible to improve the road network for businesses to thrive.

"If we want to sustain the Kwahu Business Forum, we need to address road network challenges to open up the area to reduce traffic congestion on the road during  festive periods", Mr Mahama said.

The President gave the assurance when he addressed a gathering of businessmen and women of Kwahu indigenes as well as others from all parts of the country at Mpraeso in the Kwahu South Municipality last Saturday.

The meeting, which was on the theme: "The Future of Business Scaling up Local Enterprise", was to enable captains of industry and commerce to network on how best to set up businesses and industries not only in the Kwahu area but in the country as a whole.

Tourist attraction

The area has numerous tourist attractions such as a paragliding site on the Odweanoma Mountain at Atibie, which attracts thousands of local and foreign tourists, especially during Easter.

Aside from that, most Kwahus are engaged in various businesses, with many of them being top-notch entrepreneurs and industrialists.

Private sector

Mr Mahama indicated that the government was already engaging private sector partners to develop a permanent conference facility at the site, alongside improvements to road infrastructure to ease congestion during the Easter festivities.

“We are thinking of a permanent convention centre, and ultimately, we want to have an airport here so that flights will always come in, both domestically as well as people from the diaspora," he told the gathering.

Networking

President Mahama was of the view that such a forum, which began in 2024, had evolved into a significant platform for business networking, attracting banks, fintech firms, small and medium enterprises, and public institutions.

He told participants that Ghana’s business environment had improved over the past year, pointing to declining interest rates, easing inflation and relative currency stability.

He said borrowing costs, which hovered around 32 per cent in 2024, had dropped considerably, with some businesses now accessing credit at between nine and 10 per cent.

“Banks now are holding huge liquidities, and they must find somebody to lend it to, because the government will not take it,” the President indicated.

Mr Mahama added that reduced government borrowing had freed up liquidity within the banking sector, while lower  Treasury Bill rates were pushing investors towards the private sector.

24-hour economy

The President also outlined incentives under the government’s 24-hour economy policy, including duty-free importation of plant and machinery for registered firms and expedited port clearance within 24 hours.

“These are incentives that will help existing businesses expand and scale up,” he said, adding that Parliament would approve the final package of exemptions and waivers.

He explained that companies already operating multiple shifts would be among the first to benefit once the policy was fully implemented.

Local enterprises

On local enterprise development, President Mahama raised concerns about structural weaknesses within Ghanaian businesses, particularly the lack of succession planning.

Mr Mahama stated that many firms collapsed after the death of their founders due to disputes and inadequate planning, which he said, must stop.

“Businesses rise and collapse.

We must ensure proper succession if we are serious about scaling up,” he said.

The President cited Kasapreko as an example of a company that had successfully managed leadership transition, appealing to owners of businesses to prepare good successors very early.

Mr Mahama also encouraged mergers and acquisitions as a strategy for growth, stressing that many small businesses remained stagnant due to limited managerial capacity and restricted access to finance.

Business environment

Addressing concerns about the business environment, President Mahama cautioned against political victimisation of private companies, stressing that access to state contracts should be based on competence rather than political affiliation.

“I don’t have political colours when I look at the Ghanaian private sector,” he said.

He further highlighted the government’s “Big Push” infrastructure programme, describing it as the largest road investment drive in the country’s history, covering more than 2,000 kilometres.

The President said the programme was stimulating activity across sectors, including construction, manufacturing and small-scale trade, while creating employment opportunities for young engineers.

Energy

On the energy front, the President said the government had made progress in addressing legacy debts in the power sector, including ongoing negotiations with independent power producers to restructure about $1.7 billion in outstanding obligations.

He explained that the agreements involved partial debt reductions and structured repayment plans aimed at stabilising electricity supply and easing fiscal pressures.

President Mahama expressed optimism that the business forum would continue to grow into a permanent fixture on Ghana’s economic calendar, supported by sustained macroeconomic stability, improved access to credit and reforms to strengthen local enterprises.