Accra-Kumasi Expressway Won’t Burden National Budget- Finance Minister
The Minister for Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, has stated that plans to construct a 198.7-kilometre six-lane bi-directional Class A Expressway from the south to the north will not hurt the national budget.
Defending the project, he said it is a toll-free, high-standard alternative, aligned with the best global practice.
“We are delivering value for money.”
Meanwhile, he stated that the government has not abandoned the ongoing dualization.
It comes after the Member of Parliament for Bantama Constituency, Francis Asenso-Boakye, suggested that the proposed project is wasteful.
Project
Named the Accra-Kumasi Expressway, the project is designed to link the capital to the Ashanti Region through the Greater Accra and Eastern Regions.
According to the Finance Minister, the project, which will feature eight major interchanges, each designed to ease urban congestion and improve regional connectivity, will be located at Accra Hub, Adeiso, Asamankese, Akyem Oda, Ofoase, Lake Bosomtwe, and Kumasi.
In addition, it will include three major bridges over the Birim and Pra Rivers and is envisioned to reduce the current travel distance by over 50 kilometres, from 250 kilometres to 198.7 kilometres.
Reading the 2026 Budget, he said it is expected to halve travel time between Accra and Kumasi, reduce transport costs by nearly 40 per cent, and create over 30,000 direct and indirect jobs during construction.
He added that the project will include four full-service areas equipped with fuel stations, rest stops, restaurants, vehicle repair centres, and emergency medical facilities to support 24-hour operation in areas such as Asamankese, Ayirebi, Ofoase and Lake Bosomtwe.
He added that two modern 20 toll lane plazas, Accra Main-line Toll Plaza and the Kumasi Main-line Toll Plaza, will deploy automated systems to ensure efficient revenue collection and minimal delays.
Story by Hajara Fuseini
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