The Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwame Governs Agbodza, has issued a comprehensive response to concerns raised by the NPP Ashanti Caucus regarding the modification of the Suame Interchange project.
The Minister clarified that the transition from the original 4-tier design to a 3-tier solution is a strategic enhancement aimed at providing better value for money and reducing extreme expropriation costs.
The Minister dismissed allegations that the project was being reduced to a “2-tier compromise,” asserting instead that it remains a 3-tier project. T
he decision to eliminate only the fourth-tier bridge was driven by the significant impact it would have had on local infrastructure, including the Garden City Mall, the Suame Police Station, and several commercial buildings. Estimates suggest that compensation and utility relocation costs for the original design would have exceeded 50% of the actual construction cost, expenditures that were not originally budgeted.
According to the Minister, a key factor in the redesign is the commencement of the Kumasi Outer Ring Road under the “Big Push” programme. This new route, stretching from Boankra to Akom, is expected to divert heavy traffic traveling between the north and south of Ghana away from the Kumasi city center.
Consequently, the projected capacity requirement for the Suame intersection has decreased, allowing for a more efficient and less destructive design.
Governs Agbodza also emphasized that no funds are being diverted from the project. Instead, over GH¢3 billion has been committed to the surrounding network, including the rehabilitation of the N10 from Abusuakuruwa to Akom.
“The Suame Interchange is being modified in light of new developments within the greater Kumasi environs,” the statement noted, adding that the government is also completing the Inner Ring Road from Asokwa to Sofoline to ensure Kumasi receives the best possible infrastructure.
The Ministry maintains that the current plan offers a superior solution with fewer demolitions and an increased total length of new roads.
