Vice President Opoku-Agyemang and Cabinet Ministers Detail Multi-Billion Cedi Infrastructure and Social Reform Agenda as Bawumia Proposes New Cocoa Policy

The Government of Ghana, under the administration of President John Mahama, has announced a series of major infrastructure and socio-economic initiatives aimed at accelerating national growth and industrialization. Speaking at various events across the country, Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang and several cabinet ministers detailed projects ranging from the establishment of a Women’s Development Bank to a multi-billion dollar expressway expansion. These announcements come as the political landscape shifts toward future development goals, with both the government and opposition outlining competing visions for the nation's primary economic drivers.

Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson confirmed that $1.7 billion has already been mobilized for the construction of the Accra-Kumasi Expressway, a project estimated at $4 billion and slated for completion by 2028. Notably, Dr. Forson emphasized that the project will be funded through internal resources without additional borrowing. Complementing this infrastructure drive, Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa announced that the new VIP Lounge at Accra International Airport will be completed by the end of 2026. This project is being funded entirely through corporate social responsibility contributions from local businesses, exemplifying the government’s strategy to deliver public infrastructure without burdening the national treasury.

In the energy and technology sectors, Minister for Energy and Green Transition Dr. John Abdulai Jinapor launched a GH― 598 million electrification project to connect 206 communities in the Volta Region, aiming to stimulate job creation and reduce poverty. Simultaneously, Samuel Nartey George, Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, has been inspecting rural telephony sites, advocating for a minimum 4G standard to ensure rural communities are not left behind in the global digital transition. To enhance public safety, Transport Minister Joseph Bukari Nikpe announced that a mandatory vehicle towing regime will be implemented in 2027, utilizing modern technological platforms to improve emergency response times on national highways.

Social empowerment and local collaboration also featured prominently in recent government activities. Vice President Opoku-Agyemang highlighted the upcoming launch of the Women’s Development Bank, which is designed to provide affordable finance and digital literacy training to female entrepreneurs. On the local level, the Kumasi Nhyiaesohene, Nana Osei Yaw Frimpong II, has pledged traditional authority support to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to combat encroachment on utility corridors. This partnership is intended to safeguard critical infrastructure and ensure stable power delivery for businesses and households in the Ashanti Region.

From the opposition, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer for 2028, is preparing a comprehensive policy package aimed at revitalizing the cocoa sector. Minority Chief Whip Frank Annoh-Dompreh revealed that the proposals address long-standing concerns regarding producer prices, which currently stand at GH¢2,587 per bag, as well as rising input costs and disease control. These competing initiatives from the Mahama administration and the opposition highlight a robust national debate over the best path to achieving sustainable economic stability and agricultural productivity in Ghana.