…road to feature 8 interchanges, 11 overpasses, and 55 bridges as $2bn is ready
TNR Files
The government has taken a major step towards the construction of the Accra-Kumasi Expressway following the completion and handover of 175.6 kilometres of cleared right of way by the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).
The 48 Engineers Regiment completed the exercise in 19 weeks, beating the 20-week target by one week.
The corridor, stretching from Ablekuma in the Greater Accra Region to Sewua in the Ashanti Region, was officially handed over to the government on Monday, September 14, 2026.
Receiving the cleared route, President John Dramani Mahama commended the Ghana Armed Forces for completing the assignment ahead of schedule.
He said the exercise involved clearing areas through forests and across rivers and streams, describing the achievement as a “mission accomplished.”
The President said the exercise represented an important preparatory stage for the construction of the 198.7-kilometre Accra-Kumasi Expressway.
The proposed road will be a six-lane highway built on a new alignment, separate from the existing Accra-Kumasi highway.
President Mahama disclosed that an initial $2 billion had been made available for the project, assuring contractors that funding would not delay construction.
He said the money was sourced from taxpayers and placed in a special account at the Bank of Ghana to facilitate prompt payments to contractors.
“And let me also announce that this is our own money. We have not gone to borrow money from anywhere. This money is the taxpayers’ money,” he said.
The President further directed the Minister for Roads and Highways to engage the Ghana Armed Forces Engineers Regiment as a major subcontractor on the project.
Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson also assured that the full funding required for the project would be available by December 31, 2026.
He said the government would mobilise the resources domestically and would not resort to borrowing to finance the expressway.
“For the avoidance of doubt, we will not borrow a Pesewa for this construction,” Dr Ato Forson said.
The Managing Director of Accra-Kumasi Expressway Limited, Engineer Francisco, disclosed that the expressway would contain several major infrastructure components.
These include eight grade-separated interchanges, 11 vehicle overpasses and 55 mainline bridges.
The project will also have nine at-grade intersections, approximately 200 reinforced concrete box culverts and four service areas where motorists can rest, eat and attend to their vehicles.
According to Engineer Francisco, the project will cover about 198.7 kilometres, consisting of approximately 176 kilometres of new expressway and 23 kilometres of upgraded connector roads at the Accra and Kumasi ends.
The mainline will be a Class A highway featuring a three-lane dual carriageway on a 36-metre roadbed, with a design speed of 120 kilometres per hour.
The connector roads will be Class B roads with a design speed of 60 kilometres per hour.
The expressway will further include eight tolling locations, an operating centre and two monitoring centres to support traffic management and rapid response to incidents.
Other facilities will include a fire service and ambulance station, three maintenance depots, road safety installations and electromechanical systems to support an intelligent transport system.
Engineer Francisco said the new expressway is expected to reduce the distance between Accra and Kumasi by about 50 kilometres.
He added that the project could cut travel time by approximately 50 per cent and reduce transport costs by about 40 per cent.
“When completed, this road will provide safer and more reliable transport and reduce the pressure on the N6,” he said.
President Mahama also announced plans to honour the 48 Engineers Regiment for completing the right-of-way clearance ahead of schedule.
He said the regiment would be recognised at the next national honours ceremony, expected to form part of activities marking Ghana’s 70th Independence anniversary.
The President said the honour would recognise the regiment’s contribution to the successful preparation of the major infrastructure project.