By Kizito CUDJOE
The government has pledged GH¢13.8 billion over the next two years for road infrastructure projects as part of its key 'Big Push' program, according to Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, who shared this information with parliament during the 2025 Mid-Year Fiscal Policy Review.
The figure, which accounts for 1.0 percent of the nation's gross domestic product (GDP), comes from oil earnings and mineral fees as specified in the 2025 Budget and Economic Policy passed by the legislature.
All financial resources allocated under the Big Push for the upcoming two years are focused on enhancing road infrastructure," Dr. Forson stated, noting that the program is a central component of the government's larger infrastructure and economic development plan.
The official mentioned that the ministry responsible for roads and highways carried out a six-month nationwide evaluation and has now finished engineering plans and cost projections for the specified projects.
After that, he mentioned, the Ministry of Finance has granted approval for various roads throughout the nation.
Among the major initiatives are: the building of a new bridge across the Oti River in Dambai, the renovation of the Wa–Han road, the enhancement of the Tumu–Hamile and Tumu–Han–Lawra roads, the rebuilding of the Navrongo–Tumu road, the restoration of the Techiman–Nkonsia–Wenchi and Wenchi–Sawla roads, the creation of the Sunyani Outer Ring Road and Kumasi Outer Ring Road (Eastern Quadrant), and the repair of the Gbintri–Nakpanduri road.
"Within the framework of the Big Push initiative, we have also chosen the following neglected road projects, which did not receive specific funding from the prior government," the minister mentioned.
This involves the restoration and enhancement of the Kasoa–Winneba Road, the rehabilitation of the Ofankor–Nsawam Road (which is a dual carriageway), the conversion of the Takoradi–Agona Junction Road into a dual carriageway, and the building of the Suame Interchange along with local roads.
Some of the other projects include the development of National Route N18, Wa – Han Road; the improvement of the Tumu – Chuchuliga – Navrongo road, which involves building a 36-meter reinforced concrete bridge over the Kanyibie River and a 24-meter reinforced concrete bridge over the Bechelihu River, among other works,
According to the minister, these investments are aimed at expanding economic corridors, enhancing connectivity, and fostering sustainable growth.
The Big Push initiative was initially launched to boost infrastructure growth by making targeted investments in roads, energy, water, and healthcare. This current stage, however, is solely focused on road development.
Nevertheless, there was no specified schedule for finishing the project, along with information about the contractors or details on how regions were allocated.
The Minister of Finance also stated that the government has made a decision to restructure the Ghana Road Fund and redirect its focus towards road maintenance.
"As part of this Mid-Year Review, the Minister for Roads and Highways, on behalf of the government, will present a new Road Maintenance Trust Fund bill to this House. Once approved, the Road Maintenance Trust Fund will take the place of the Ghana Road Fund," he said.
He explained that the Road Maintenance Trust Fund will, among other things, establish a new governance structure, implement a formula for more equitable distribution of resources, and enhance transparency in the use of the road fund levy and similar charges.
"The government has recognized 166 constituencies that urgently require improvements to their road systems. As a result, we plan to repair 10 kilometers of roads each year in every one of these areas. This means approximately 5,000 kilometers of roads will be rebuilt for these 166 constituencies in critical need of better road infrastructure over the next three years," he added.
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).