Japan reaffirms support for Volivo Bridge Project; President Mahama invited to TICAD
Japan has reaffirmed its commitment to finance the construction of the Volivo Bridge over the Volta Lake, a critical component of the Eastern Corridor road project.
The assurance was given by the Senior Executive Vice-President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Miyazaki Katsura, during a courtesy call on President John Mahama at the Jubilee House on Tuesday (June 3, 2025).
The proposed bridge, expected to complete the Eastern Corridor road network, is a key project under President Mahama’s $10 billion “Big Push” infrastructure initiative.
The initiative, outlined in the 2025 Budget, seeks to invest $2 billion annually over the next five years in critical sectors, including roads, bridges, education, and healthcare.
JICA’s commitment
Ms Katsura expressed satisfaction that the Volivo Bridge project had been captured under the “Big Push” plan and assured President Mahama of JICA’s readiness to facilitate further discussions with the Japanese government.
“We are happy that the Volivo Bridge project is captured under the Big Push initiative,” she said, adding that a technical team would soon be dispatched to Ghana to assess the additional funding required for the project.
President Mahama had earlier secured Japan’s commitment to fund the project during a visit to Tokyo in his previous term.
TICAD invitation
Ms Katsura also extended an invitation to President Mahama to attend the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), scheduled for August this year.
Accepting the invitation, President Mahama noted that his participation would provide an opportunity to engage with the Japanese government to secure the necessary funding for the bridge’s construction.
Project significance
The Volivo Bridge is expected to significantly improve transportation and trade along the Eastern Corridor, linking the southern and northern parts of Ghana more efficiently. Its completion will form a vital part of the country’s infrastructure expansion under the “Big Push” programme.
President Mahama expressed optimism about the project’s progress and thanked Japan for its continued partnership in Ghana’s development agenda.
