Omanghana
Claims that the Accra–Kumasi Expressway contract was awarded by the former Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo administration have been found to be false, according to fact-checking reports and official parliamentary records.
The disputed claim was made by the acting National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Danquah Smith Buttey, during an interview on Neat FM. He alleged that the previous NPP government had awarded the expressway contract before leaving office and referred to former Roads Minister Francis Asenso-Boakye as someone who could confirm it.
Available records show that the project’s announcement, funding arrangements and parliamentary approval all occurred under President John Dramani Mahama’s current administration.
Project Entered Government Plans in 2025
Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson first mentioned plans for the expressway during a meeting with the Chinese ambassador on April 4, 2025.
The project was subsequently presented to the public in the 2026 Budget Statement delivered on November 13, 2025. It appeared under the government’s Big Push Infrastructure Program, which was established to finance major national development projects.
The proposed road is an approximately 200-kilometre, six-lane, access-controlled expressway intended to connect Accra and Kumasi. It is expected to reduce travel time, improve road safety, facilitate trade and create employment opportunities.
Parliament Approved Agreement in December 2025
On December 17, 2025, Parliament’s Committee on Roads and Transportation reviewed the contract agreement for the project.
During the committee’s deliberations, Roads and Highways Minister Kwame Governs Agbodza stressed the importance of the proposed corridor, while Dr. Forson confirmed that the government would finance it through the Big Push program. The project was expected to be completed within three years, according to the Parliament of Ghana.
Parliament approved the concession agreement on December 18, 2025. Under the arrangement, the Ministry of Roads and Highways serves as the contracting authority, while Accra–Kumasi Expressway Limited is the concessionaire responsible for executing the project.
President Mahama later addressed the development in his 2026 State of the Nation Address, reaffirming the government’s commitment to constructing the expressway.
In July 2026, Dr. Forson announced that the government had dedicated $1.7 billion to the project, further establishing its financial framework.
Expressway Is Separate From Existing Dualization Works
Some of the confusion surrounding the project appears to have arisen from the ongoing dualization of sections of the existing Accra–Kumasi highway, which began under previous governments.
Former Roads Minister Asenso-Boakye has urged the current administration not to abandon those works in favour of the proposed expressway. He argued that the dualization project was already about 64 per cent complete and that discontinuing it would waste public resources.
The government has maintained that the new expressway will not necessarily replace or terminate the existing highway improvements. The two developments are separate infrastructure projects, despite serving the same broad transport corridor.
Available Records Contradict NPP Chairman’s Claim
The documented timeline shows that the Accra–Kumasi Expressway was announced, approved and funded under the Mahama administration:
- April 4, 2025: Finance Minister mentions the proposed expressway during a meeting with the Chinese ambassador.
- November 13, 2025: Project appears in the 2026 Budget Statement.
- December 3, 2025: President Mahama says it will not affect the existing dualization works.
- December 17, 2025: Parliamentary committee reviews the contract.
- December 18, 2025: Parliament approves the concession agreement.
- February 27, 2026: President Mahama discusses the project in his State of the Nation Address.
- July 23, 2026: Government announces $1.7 billion in dedicated funding.
Based on the available public and parliamentary records, the assertion that the Akufo-Addo administration awarded the Accra–Kumasi Expressway contract is incorrect. The evidence confirms that its formal announcement, legislative approval and funding arrangements took place under the current Mahama administration.
Source: Omanghana
