'We checked nationwide, and the roads aren’t there' – Roads Minister challenges NPP govt’s 10,800km claim

The Minister for Roads and Highways, Mr Kwame Governs Agbodza, has questioned claims by the previous Akufo-Addo administration that it constructed 10,800 kilometres of roads during its time in office, saying the figures do not match what is physically on the ground.

Speaking at the Government Accountability Series in Accra on Tuesday, July 30, 2025, Mr Agbodza said an inspection tour carried out earlier this year by his Ministry failed to find evidence to support the former government’s reported achievements.

“It was difficult to see the 10,800 kilometres President Akufo-Addo declared. In some places, it was hard to find even 1,000 kilometres of roads in good condition,” he told journalists.

The minister’s remarks are part of a broader audit being conducted by the government to verify past infrastructure claims and guide future development plans based on what he described as “what is actually on the ground.”

“We didn’t just sit in Accra. We went region by region with our agencies. What we found was a disconnect between official figures and the road conditions experienced by the people,” he said.

The previous administration frequently referenced the 10,800 kilometres figure as a major achievement under its “Year of Roads” campaign. But Mr Agbodza said many of the reported roads are either in poor condition, partially completed, or missing from official records.

He said the Ministry’s inspections, conducted across all 16 regions, also revealed that a number of awarded contracts had either not been started or had been abandoned midway, often due to delays in payment or lack of oversight.

Mr Agbodza said the current government would rely on accurate data for all new road projects.

“Under President Mahama, the policy is simple: no road project will be announced unless it has been studied, designed, costed, and funded. We won’t play to the gallery,” he stated.

The Ministry plans to publish the findings of its audit later this year. It will include an interactive map showing verified road projects and their progress.

According to Mr Agbodza, the government’s Big Push programme, which includes the reconstruction of the Wa–Bolgatanga road, the Dambai Bridge, and outer ring roads in major cities, will be based strictly on this verified data.