The Accra-Kumasi Expressway project has moved a step closer to construction following the completion of right-of-way clearing along the entire road corridor.
The exercise, undertaken by engineers of the Ghana Armed Forces, has cleared the way for government to advance the detailed design and procurement processes required before construction of the major highway can begin.
Roads and Highways Minister Governs Kwame Agbodza said the government would now concentrate on completing the detailed design and initiating procurement to select qualified contractors for the project.
According to him, the completion of the corridor clearing represents an important milestone in the government’s efforts to transform the heavily travelled Accra-Kumasi route into a modern expressway.
Mr Agbodza said the project is expected to have a lasting impact on Ghana’s transport infrastructure and future generations, describing it as a “generational intervention.”
“Accra-Kumasi Expressway is our generational intervention,” he said, explaining that President John Dramani Mahama’s vision is to deliver major infrastructure projects that would leave a lasting mark on the country.
The minister said the project would form part of President Mahama’s major legacy projects in the road sector, drawing comparisons with significant infrastructure delivered under Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
He cited the Tema Motorway and the development of the Tema Port as examples of projects that have retained their significance over the years.
“Dr Nkrumah and others did other things: they did the Tema Motorway, they did the port, and other things. We also must do something to hold our place in history on behalf of our people,” Mr Agbodza said.
With the right-of-way now cleared, the immediate focus is on completing the technical design and procurement stages. These processes are expected to determine the contractors who will undertake the actual construction works.
Mr Agbodza said the government’s objective is to ensure the project delivers infrastructure capable of serving the country well beyond the current generation.
The completion of the clearing exercise therefore marks a transition from preparatory activities to the technical and procurement stages of one of Ghana’s most significant proposed road infrastructure projects.
