President John Dramani Mahama has said government is conducting a feasibility study to design a new national capital for Ghana.
The mounting pressure from urbanisation, traffic congestion, as well as inadequate infrastructure, according to the President, have warranted the initiative.
“It is time to think long-term and plan for a new city to ease this burden,” Mr Mahama said while addressing a durbar of Chiefs and people at Dodowa last Friday, May 16, 2025, during his ‘Thank You’ visit.
According to the President, the city will host some select ministries, departments, agencies and financial institutions to help decongest Accra by serving as secondary administrative and commercial hub.
“I believe that this city will be located somewhere on the Accra plains from Bundase, straddling across the Greater Accra, Eastern and Volta regions. The city will straddle three regions,” he noted.
He said the new capital city would stretch to the banks of the Volta River, and there would be a railway link and an expressway that would link the new city to Accra.
President Mahama said he envisioned it as a green, digital metropolis featuring industrial parks, financial services and tourist attractions operating as a 24-hour economy, explaining that the rapid urbanisation, gridlock and inadequate infrastructure have become a pressing concern that needs a permanent solution.
He also indicated that the Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge Hospital) will be upgraded into a full-fledged Teaching Hospital to expand access to quality healthcare services.
“We will also construct Ridge Hospital Phase Two, which will increase the capacity of that hospital as a teaching hospital in the Greater Accra Region,” he added.
This, he said, would enhance specialist training and reduce referrals outside the region.
Also, the President noted that other health projects earmarked for development were the expansion of the CHIPS Compounds in peri-urban communities like Bortianor, Kpone and Shai Osu-Doku.
In enhancing security to facilitate a vibrant 24-hour economy, which seeks to maximise productivity and economic opportunities, the President also announced mass distribution and installation of streetlights in all districts of the Greater Accra.
He also listed a number of priority roads and other projects for Greater Accra.
Major corridors, according to Mahama, will be rehabilitated as part of the road projects, whilst existing ones will be expanded, as well as the construction of an outer Ring Road, which would divert traffic to bypass Accra to the northern and western parts of the country to ease congestion.
“And so it means trucks and others coming from Lome and going to Kumasi or Takoradi don’t need to come through Accra; they’ll pass on the Outer Ring Road and continue their journey,” he emphasised.
Some of the roads to be improved include the ongoing Adentan – Dodowa Road, the La-Teshie Link, the Tema Harbour – Tema General Hospital Motorway Road, the Apolonia – Oyibi Road and the Tema Motorway Expansion; the reconstruction of the stretch from Dahwenya to Afienya, Afienya to Dodowa, Doryumu to Dodowa and Ashaiman to Madina.
The Nungua Mantse and President of the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs, Oboade Notse King Professor Odaifio Welentsi III, on behalf of traditional leaders, said their confidence in President Mahama remains high, following positive signs recorded so far under his ‘Reset Ghana’ agenda.
Mahama promises new administrative city outside Accra to ease congestion
