President John Dramani Mahama has said the government’s Big Push road projects will be completed in phases because of limited financial resources.
Speaking during the first day of his two-day “Resetting Ghana Tour” in the Upper West Region, Mr Mahama said the government could not address the country’s road infrastructure needs simultaneously because of budgetary constraints.
He made the comments after inspecting the Wa-Han Big Push road project.
“Everybody thinks that we can do all their roads at once. We cannot do that. There’s a limit to the budget that we have,” President Mahama said.
The president said the government had prioritised major trunk roads, particularly those connecting regional capitals, before moving on to feeder roads linking communities and towns to the main road network.
“And so there’s Big Push Phase 1, we’re scoping Big Push Phase 2, and there’ll be a Big Push Phase 3,” he stated.
Mr Mahama said the phased approach was part of a broader strategy to gradually tackle Ghana’s road infrastructure deficit.
He explained that completing major trunk roads first would improve access for residents in surrounding communities, while feeder roads would be addressed progressively.
“As we go, we’ll move from the trunk roads to the other feeder roads that link up with the trunk roads,” he explained.
“But it’s good to do the trunk roads so that at least everybody can come from this constituency, join the main road, and have a good ride. After the trunk road is done, then we can now do the feeder roads into the communities and the towns.”
The president said several other roads had been identified for development in the Upper West Region and would be tackled as resources became available.
He also expressed confidence in the quality of work being undertaken on the Wa-Han road project, saying he expected to return to the region next year to commission the completed road.
“We’ll be here next year to come and commission the road, and I’m sure that the quality of the road will be good,” he said.
Mr Mahama further disclosed that the Wa-Bolgatanga road would eventually be sealed with asphalt after the completion of the double-surface dressing.
“After we do the double-surface dressing, we will then seal the whole road with asphalt from Wa to Bolga, so that at least we know that for the next 30 years, the road will last and will require just very little maintenance,” he said.
