Ghana’s persistent infrastructure challenges could be significantly reduced if state agencies adopted a more unified and coordinated planning system, according to the Ghana Institution of Engineering (GhIE).
The Executive Representative of GhIE, Ing. Yaa Obenewaa Okudzeto, has stressed that poor coordination among implementing institutions remains a major barrier to effective infrastructure delivery across the country.
She made the remarks at the Citi Business Festival Roundtable Discussion on Monday, June 15, held under the theme “Building Competitive Cities: Infrastructure, Innovation and Investment for Sustainable Economic Growth.”
Ing. Okudzeto explained that Ghana’s transport and utilities systems are closely interlinked, meaning that weaknesses in coordination often lead to delays, cost overruns, and repeated damage to infrastructure during project execution.
She noted that beyond financial limitations, institutional fragmentation—particularly during road construction and utility installation—continues to undermine national development efforts.
According to her, modern infrastructure delivery requires agencies to work as a single coordinated system rather than in isolation, especially in densely built urban environments.
She cited the United Kingdom’s Elizabeth Line project as an example of how complex infrastructure can be delivered successfully when engineering planning, monitoring systems, and inter-agency coordination are properly aligned.
Ing. Okudzeto said the project demonstrated that even large-scale underground works beneath existing infrastructure can be executed safely when supported by real-time monitoring and strong institutional collaboration.
In Ghana, however, she pointed to recurring right-of-way challenges as a key source of inefficiency, particularly in projects involving roads and utility installations.
She highlighted frequent conflicts between road agencies and utility providers, including telecommunications companies, which often result in fibre optic cable cuts and project delays.
“These coordination gaps remain one of our biggest challenges,” she noted, adding that poor communication between agencies continues to slow down infrastructure delivery.
She further explained that engagements with stakeholders in the telecommunications sector have revealed repeated incidents of infrastructure damage during road works, reinforcing concerns about weak coordination frameworks.
Ing. Okudzeto called for a more integrated national planning system that brings together all relevant agencies from the outset of infrastructure projects to improve efficiency and reduce disruptions.
She stressed that strengthening institutional collaboration would be essential to achieving sustainable urban development and improving the performance of Ghana’s infrastructure systems.
