News:
April 2, 2026
Minister for Roads and Highways, Governs Kwame Agbodza, has told Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee that more than 95% of road projects are missing full documentation—but he insists abandoning them would be “impractical and counterproductive.”
Appearing before the committee, the Minister acknowledged the scale of the documentation lapse but argued that many of the projects are critical to communities and cannot simply be halted over procedural issues.
Pragmatism Over Procedure
Mr. Agbodza said terminating contracts due to non-compliance would do more harm than good. Instead, his ministry is focusing on ensuring that work meets required standards, with payments made strictly based on the volume of work completed—not original contract sums.
“Road construction is not always predictable. Emergencies occur, conditions change, and flexibility becomes necessary to ensure completion.”
— Governs Kwame Agbodza, Roads Minister
He cited ongoing adjustments under the government’s “Big Push” infrastructure initiative, noting that some contracts have been renegotiated to achieve cost savings while still delivering value.
Road Fund Under Strain
The Minister also raised red flags over the sustainability of the Road Fund, warning against loading large-scale projects onto a facility originally designed for maintenance and smaller interventions.
He pointed to a striking imbalance:
· One project valued at GH¢700 million
· Total projected Road Fund allocation for 2026: GH¢3 billion
Describing the situation as unsustainable, Mr. Agbodza called for reforms to streamline project approvals and limit the scale of projects charged to the Fund.
Way Forward
The Minister stressed the need to strike a balance between delivering essential infrastructure and maintaining financial discipline.
“The overarching goal is to regularize affected projects, complete them, and secure appropriate funding,” he said.
Dominic Shirimori/Ghanamps.com