Minister for Roads and Highways Kwame Governs Agbodza has announced that road construction activities across Ghana will be ramped up significantly in 2026, as most road projects for the year have already been awarded to contractors. The minister revealed Monday on Citi FM’s Breakfast Show that the government now focuses on supervising contractors and ensuring quality standards following the contract awards.
Agbodza explained that President John Dramani Mahama has committed resources and consistently emphasized the importance of modernizing Ghana’s road network with concrete budgetary allocations. The minister stated that the president has committed to Ghanaians improving roads across the country, regularly discussing network improvements during stakeholder meetings. The Ministry of Roads and Highways has received necessary resources to execute these projects, placing responsibility on the office to ensure planned works are delivered effectively.
The minister emphasized that with core projects now awarded, attention shifts to contractors and consultants to ensure good work delivers value for money considering investments in road construction. Monitoring will be intensified to guarantee delivery of durable roads, according to Agbodza. He revealed that selected contractors underwent thorough orientation to meet project quality standards, with many contractors being Ghanaian to promote local expertise and resources.
President Mahama urged all participating contractors to deliver their best work, stating that no one is compelled to join initiatives but those who do must excel. The president’s commitment aims to ensure roads constructed under this initiative are of highest quality, ultimately benefiting Ghana’s infrastructure and citizens. The government plans to construct 5,000 kilometers of roads across 160 districts as part of this ambitious infrastructure program.
Agbodza confirmed that nearly all road projects stalled under the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP) are being reactivated, signaling a major turnaround for contractors and relief for road users across Ghana. He announced that projects previously affected by debt restructuring are now being resumed following near completion of Ghana’s debt exchange exercise. The government is almost 100 percent through with debt restructuring, meaning almost all roads stalled because of debt restructuring are now being reactivated.
The minister cited the Pokuase to Amasaman road and other key roads across the country as examples of works being reactivated. He explained that delays were not due to contractor incompetence but stemmed from funding constraints imposed by the DDEP, which restructured how government obligations to bondholders and contractors were managed. The debt exchange programme, implemented in 2022 under the Akufo Addo administration, saw Ghana restructure domestic debt to address an escalating debt crisis.
The ministry confirmed in October 2025 that GH₵5 billion had been disbursed for contractor payments following an audit and validation process. Agbodza explained that the ministry deliberately took time to thoroughly review and verify all certificates submitted by contractors during the transition period to ensure transparency and accountability. The Finance Minister started paying out GH₵5 billion owed to contractors out of over GH₵21 billion in total debt.
The minister stressed that proper construction alone is insufficient to guarantee road durability, with responsible use by transporters and motorists equally important. He warned that if Ghana spends all this money to build or rehabilitate roads and allows overloading, the roads will not last. Agbodza announced plans to launch a stakeholder driven campaign to curb overloading on the road network, emphasizing that while specifying proper materials is government responsibility, maintaining quality requires collective effort.
During April 2025 inspections, Agbodza expressed disappointment in the alarming deterioration of some sections of the newly reconstructed Tarkwa to Agona Nkwanta stretch. The 66 kilometer stretch, constructed at a cost of 95 million Euros, showed signs of damage in less than two years. This underscores the minister’s concerns about road durability and proper maintenance, highlighting why the anti overloading campaign is crucial for protecting infrastructure investments.
The minister revealed that within the next two weeks, he should be able to say exactly when digital road tolling procurement will be completed and when an operator will be selected. The government has begun a competitive bidding process to select an operator for a nationwide digital road tolling system, signaling progress toward reintroducing tolls without physical booths. The procurement process has passed two stages, with authorities currently completing traffic volume and data validation exercises across public road networks.
Data work has been ongoing for about a month and is expected to end this month, according to Agbodza. The ministry expects clarity by end of January on next steps in procurement. During his parliamentary vetting on January 20, 2025, Agbodza announced plans to reintroduce road tolls but emphasized that physical toll booths would not return. The system will be deployed on a digital platform, meaning drivers will no longer need to stop and pay at physical booths.
The minister criticized the Akufo Addo administration for abolishing road tolls in November 2021 following passage of the Electronic Transactions Levy, calling the decision illegal and a setback to Ghana’s infrastructure funding. He noted that road contractors are currently owed up to GH₵5 billion, demonstrating financial challenges facing the sector. The new tolling regime will focus exclusively on engineered roads, meaning roads that have been fixed rather than rough or unmaintained surfaces.
The government aims to establish the best road tolling system in Africa, according to statements made during a March 2025 courtesy call by the Turkish Ambassador to Ghana. The electronic platform would eliminate the traditional toll booth system that previously caused traffic congestion across major highways. The digital system is expected to provide transparent fund management, with toll revenue potentially reinvested in road upkeep and completion of ongoing projects.
Agbodza called for a thorough review of how road projects are awarded in Ghana during his parliamentary vetting, citing concerns about financial sustainability and need for collaboration between government and industry stakeholders. He emphasized that while solutions to address funding challenges are being explored, the government remains heavily indebted and must find ways to meet obligations. The minister stated that the way Ghana contracts and drafts road agreements needs review.
He proposed a collaborative approach to address the issue, suggesting dialogue with contractors, industry players, and awarding agencies to create a system balancing government affordability with contractor interests. Fostering stronger synergy between stakeholders will help create a more sustainable framework for road project financing and delivery, alleviating current challenges facing the sector. Agbodza believes Ghana needs solutions that don’t leave contractors worse off while ensuring government can pay for commitments it makes.
Specific ongoing projects include the Kasoa to Winneba stretch of coastal highway, which Agbodza said would be ready by June 2026. The contractor assured him that the section would be completed by mid next year. For the Winneba to Mankessim section, the contract allows two years, but the minister expressed confidence it will be completed before 2027. Once all ongoing projects are wrapped up, the entire route from Kasoa to Takoradi will be fully dualized, improving travel between Greater Accra and Western Regions.
The broader Kasoa to Winneba to Mankessim works are being handled by three different contractors, while the Cape Coast to Takoradi segment is being executed by another firm. Agbodza noted that the Cape Coast to Takoradi road is a bigger undertaking because it connects two major regions. Within Central Region, the Kasoa to Winneba and Winneba to Mankessim portions are moving along well, with an entirely new road being constructed beside the old one to make it dual carriage.
The Tema to Dawhenya dual carriageway is set for completion within two years according to the minister. He has also indicated that government is close to finalizing a financing model for the Accra to Kumasi expressway, demonstrating the administration’s commitment to major highway infrastructure connecting Ghana’s principal cities. Parliament approved a GH₵5.3 billion allocation for the Roads Ministry despite funding gap concerns, providing resources for executing planned projects.
The minister emphasized that while specifications and insistence on right materials remain government responsibility, achieving best running quality requires collective effort. The focus on quality control, contractor supervision, and anti overloading measures demonstrates the Mahama administration’s determination not only to build roads but to ensure their longevity and value for taxpayer investments. As debt restructuring nears completion and contract awards accelerate, 2026 appears poised to mark a significant year for Ghana’s road infrastructure development.
