Finance Minister Ato Forson Secures $1.7bn for Accra-Kumasi Expressway as Government Intensifies National Infrastructure Drive

Yesterday•3 min read•13 sources

The administration of President John Mahama has announced a series of major infrastructure and utility milestones, led by the securing of $1.7 billion for the Accra-Kumasi Expressway. Minister of Finance Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson confirmed that the funding for this $4 billion project has been mobilized through internal resources, ensuring the project proceeds without new external borrowing. Projected for completion by 2028, the expressway is designed to include modern interchanges, service areas, and tolling systems, serving as a critical artery to enhance connectivity between Ghana's two largest commercial hubs. Complementing this, the Minister for Roads and Highways, Governs Kwame Agbodza, has been conducting nationwide inspections to ensure contractors meet their deadlines, clarifying that these tours are intended to identify challenges and provide government support rather than to penalize or "witch-hunt" developers.

In a parallel boost to national utilities, the Minister for Energy and Green Transition, Dr. John Abdulai Jinapor, has launched a GH• 598 million electrification project in the Volta Region. The initiative, part of the Rural Electrification Accelerated and Urban Intensification Initiative, aims to connect 206 communities across 18 districts to the national grid within six months. To further bolster the region's power stability, Dr. Jinapor announced additional investments in a 161KV transmission line from Asiekpe to Ho. These energy projects are expected to drive local industrialization and job creation, fulfilling a key pillar of the government's socio-economic development agenda.

The government is also prioritizing digital and transport safety reforms, with Minister of Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations Samuel Nartey George announcing plans to slash rural telephony costs by the first quarter of 2027. The Ministry is collaborating with the National Communications Authority (NCA) to allow rural users to access standard voice and data bundles while upgrading sites to 4G technology. On the roads, Transport Minister Joseph Bukari Nikpe revealed that a mandatory towing regime will be implemented in 2027. This system will require vehicle owners to subscribe to towing services via insurance or registered providers to rapidly clear broken-down vehicles and reduce road accidents.

Looking toward long-term strategic growth, Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang is championing the development of Volta Lake as a multimodal logistics corridor. Speaking at a recent World Bank retreat, she emphasized that linking southern and northern Ghana through barge, rail, and road transport would transform regional trade and agricultural efficiency. Meanwhile, at the local level, community-focused initiatives such as the ABN Farms poultry project in Ablekuma North, launched by MP Ewurabena Aubynn, are being rolled out to strengthen food security and women's empowerment. Together, these multi-sectoral investments signal a comprehensive push by the Mahama government to modernize Ghana's infrastructure and lower the cost of living for rural and urban populations alike.

This story touches markets covered on Anansi Intelligence ↗.

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Finance Minister Ato Forson Secures $1.7bn for Accra-Kumasi Expressway as Government Intensifies National Infrastructure Drive

More from politics

K.T. Hammond Files GH 30m Defamation Suit as NPP and NDC Regional Contests Heat Up

Kwesi Pratt Jnr. and Religious Leaders Navigate Resource Sovereignty and Interfaith Identity in Ghana

Songtaba and NCCE Spearhead Initiatives to Strengthen Inclusive Governance and Democratic Integrity

Vice-President Opoku-Agyemang and Finance Minister Forson Lead National Reforms in Governance and Economic Strategy