Gov’t Scrambles to Recover Loot as Tamale-Walewale Road Lies in Ruins-Agbodza Reveals
In what is fast becoming a textbook case of state capture and impunity, the Government of Ghana is still chasing shadows in a desperate bid to recover a staggering US$29 million paid to an Indian contractor who vanished into thin air after receiving the cash to construct the 113-kilometer Tamale–Savelugu–Walewale road.
The amount, representing 20% of the total contract sum of *US$158 million*, was paid upfront in 2022 under the previous administration led by then-Roads Minister Kwasi Amoako-Atta. But three years on, the road remains a death trap, and the contractor JMC Projects (Kalpataru Group) is nowhere to be found.
Appearing before Parliament, current Roads and Highways Minister Kwame Agbodza did not mince words. He lashed out at the Minority for what he called “selective amnesia,” urging them to help retrieve the funds instead of playing politics.
“They paid $29 million to an Indian contractor to build a road between Savelugu and Walewale. The contractor took the money and walked away. That money could have paid several local contractors we still owe,” Agbodza fumed.
The Minister revealed that the contractor did less than 1% of the work before abandoning the site. To make matters worse, JMC Projects allegedly attempted to rebrand itself as Kalpatura Projects and even tried to sneak its equipment out of Ghana to a project site in *Guinea* without the Ministry’s consent.
In a brazen move, the company also demanded an additional $14 million for so-called “mobilization,” a request the Ministry flatly rejected. On March 11, 2024, the company issued a notice of termination and vanished, leaving behind a trail of dust and broken promises.
The government has since referred the matter to the Attorney General for legal action, but efforts to claw back the funds have so far yielded nothing.
The scandal has drawn parallels with the infamous Pwalugu Dam debacle, where $12 million was paid for a phantom project that never saw the light of day.
Agbodza, clearly incensed, reminded the House that the sod-cutting for the road was done by former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia a native of Walewale on June 17, 2024, yet the contractor still had the audacity to flee.
“Even the fact that the Vice President hails from Walewale didn’t stop them from bolting. What does that tell you?” he asked.
The Minister also took a swipe at the NPP’s record on infrastructure financing, revealing that while the Road Fund stood at $0.5 billion during the transition, it now boasts $8 billion under the current administration.
He didn’t stop there. Agbodza dragged up another scandal involving $40 million paid for armored vehicles for the Ghana Armed Forces vehicles that were never delivered.
“You want to talk about prudence? Let’s talk about your record. You paid $40 million for armored vehicles and got nothing. I listened to you when you spoke. Now it’s your turn to listen,” he thundered.
The Tamale–Savelugu–Walewale road remains a treacherous stretch, endangering lives daily. Yet, the contractor who pocketed millions to fix it has become a ghost, and the people of the Northern and North East regions are left to suffer the consequences.
As the 2026 budget debate rages on, the question remains: Who will be held accountable for this daylight heist? And will the state ever recover the millions lost to yet another foreign contractor who came, saw, and vanished?