The government has officially launched the Big Push road project in Afienya, a flagship infrastructure initiative that Roads and Highways Minister Governs Kwame Agbodza says will “redefine the country’s road network” — and be delivered in under 24 months.
Yes, even with a jaw-dropping GH¢40 billion debt still owed to contractors.
At Tuesday’s sod-cutting ceremony in the Greater Accra Region, Minister Agbodza didn’t mince words about the scale of the challenge.
“Mr President, if you come to the Ministry of Roads and Highways, we owe probably 40 billion Ghana cedis in debt to contractors,” he admitted.
But the Minister was quick to pivot from problem to promise. In his words, Big Push is more than another campaign slogan — it’s a “bold intervention” meant to jumpstart Ghana’s crumbling road infrastructure and show real results on the ground.
“We went round the country, the 16 regions, and it was difficult to see what the money was spent on,” Agbodza said bluntly, acknowledging past inefficiencies while promising greater accountability this time.
A 'Legacy Project' in the Making?
Much of the Minister’s speech centered on lauding President John Mahama, credited as the architect of the Big Push. Mr.Agbodza described Mahama’s leadership as “historic,” calling this “the biggest single dose of road intervention Ghana has ever seen.”
“Despite all that, Mr President, you made a bold commitment... to go down in history as the president that gave the biggest dose of intervention at a single time on our roads,” he said.
42 Road Projects. Nearly $900 Million. Real Work Starts Now.
The numbers are ambitious: GH¢13.85 billion (roughly US$892.9 million) has been earmarked to finance 42 road projects under the Big Push programme. The Afienya stretch, which is now officially underway, is among the first to break ground.
And despite the country’s financial constraints, the government says it’s all systems go.
“The contractor that is on this stretch, I believe, can do this project in less than 24 months,” Agbodza assured, promising close monitoring and on-time delivery.
“We shall implement Big Push, and the results will be there for everyone to see.”
