The Minority in Parliament has rejected the government’s plan to construct a new Accra-Kumasi expressway, describing it as “unnecessary”.
According to the caucus, the funds intended for such project should be used to complete the ongoing dualization of the current Accra-Kumasi Highway.
The Okaikwei Central MP, Patrick Boamah made the argument on the floor of the House during the 2026 Budget debate on Thursday, November 20, 2025.
He said the government should “invest in the right sectors of the economy and create the needed jobs this budget is seeking to talk about,” instead of introducing new major road projects.
“Mr. Speaker if you look at the cover page of this year’s budget, you can see a clear photoshop of a certain express road that the Minister spoke about that he was going to construct an express road to Kumasi.
“Mr. Speaker, what is the crime of the people of this country especially those of us who ply that road to our villages, especially from Accra to Paga and to Bawku.
“For eight years, from 2009 to 2016, not a single kilometre of road was added by the NDC government. You come into government again, and instead of you prioritising the completion of the dualisation of the Accra–Kumasiroad, you are telling us that you are going to construct an express road. From which funds? It’s a completely misplaced priority.”
“What Ghanaians want to see is the completion of the dualisation project that was started by the Akuffo-Addo administration,” he stated.
He further questioned the financing model of the intended project.
“How are you going to construct this through a PPP arrangement? And how much are you to charge road users? It’s for you to take that decision,” he said.
However, Alhassan Suhuyini, the Deputy Minister for Roads and Highways, disagreed with the Minority’s viewpoint, stating that President Mahama’s intentions to increase economic productivity depend on the expressway.
“You cannot reduce poverty without efficient transport. Building roads and port infrastructure, Mr. Speaker is what will lower the cost of food and goods and connect farmers to markets and make Ghanaian businesses competitive,” he explained.
According to him, government has prioritised several national road corridors in the 2026 budget.
“We have prioritised the construction of the Western corridor, Wenchi all the way to Wa; the Eastern corridor then we take the road from Aflao to the Upper East Region; and the Central corridor,” he said.
Mr Suhuyini further disclosed that work on the current Accra-Kumasi dualisation project has reached 64% completion..
“The dualisation of the Accra–Kumasi highway has reached about 64% completion rate. When we came into power, that project was stalled because there was no dedicated funding. It has now been put on the Big Push agenda.”
He said the new expressway, which will feature about eight interchanges, is President Mahama’s headline project under the Big Push agenda.
“These are not just concrete, bitumen, and metals; these are projects that will impact our economy, produce jobs, and create employment,” he said.
