Els: MBN360 News
Roads and Highways Minister Hon Governs Kwame Agbodza Inpect Big Push Roads in the Ashanti North Region
Minister for Roads and Highways, Hon Governs Kwame Agbodza, has strongly criticised Arab Contractors’ over delays on the 47-kilometre Kumasi Ring Road project during an inspection tour of the government’s flagship Big Push road projects in the Ashanti Region.
The Minister challenged explanations provided by contractors working on the project, insisting that issues relating to land valuation, compensation, and coordination were part of the contractor’s responsibilities and could not justify slow progress on site.
“It’s risk management. Ghana has put together a risk called 47 kilometres of ring road around Kumasi and you have bought that risk that you would do that. It is not our job to help you to deal with it. In fact, that is what we pay you for.”Minister for Roads and Highways, Hon Governs Kwame Agbodza
According to the Roads Minister, the government expects visible construction progress rather than repeated discussions about operational difficulties. “We should be coming to see progress, not to be discussing; None of the things you talked about is beyond what you have signed up to do,” he said.
Minister Rejects Delay Excuses
Hon. Agbodza expressed concern that contractors often blame delays on issues involving government payments, yet in this case, there were no outstanding certificates before the Ministry requiring action.
The Minister stressed that nothing presented during the inspection justified the current pace of work. “So I haven’t heard anything here today that gives me a reason why we should have any delay, because that is what we pay you for,” he stated.
During the engagement, representatives of the contractor attempted to explain that some delays were linked to processes involving land valuation and compensation for affected persons.
According to the contractor’s representative, their role was limited to financing the valuation process rather than conducting the assessments directly. “For us, our obligation is already to prepare the finances for the evaluating team,” the representative explained.
“We are not coming here to evaluate. We didn’t have the capacity to evaluate this compensation. The contractor further clarified that compensation arrangements were being handled in phases involving measurements, valuations, and payments to affected property owners.
Land Valuation Delays Come Under Scrutiny
Hon. Agbodza questioned why the valuation process had stalled and sought clarification on who was responsible for paying the Land Valuation Division.
A representative from the Highway Authority informed the Minister that the contractors had been instructed to make the necessary payments. “Arab contractors have been instructed to pay,” the official stated.
The Minister then directly asked the contractor why payment had not yet been made. In response, the contractor’s representative said the payment request for the valuation team had only recently been received, and preparations were underway to settle it.
“We received two weeks ago the request for paying for the evaluation team. And we are preparing for it now. We are going to submit it for you as soon as possible.”Contractor’s Rep
The contractor further noted that the actual compensation payments to Project Affected Persons would only occur after the valuation process had been completed and beneficiaries identified.
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Minister Demands Immediate Recovery Plan
The Roads Minister also raised concerns about the project’s physical progress, stating that engineers expected more than five percent of the work to have been completed by now.
“The engineer says you should have been doin g more than 5 percent of the work now. You are doing less than that,” he stated. Hon. Agbodza then asked the contractor how they intended to recover the lost time and meet project targets.
The contractor responded that a recovery plan had already been developed to address the delays and ensure completion within the November 2027 deadline. “For us, we have our recovery plan to recover this 5 percent,” the representative stated.
According to the contractor, major road clearing and grubbing activities were originally scheduled to begin fully on April 22 and the current delays would be addressed progressively. However, Hon. Agbodza rejected the argument that meeting the final contractual deadline alone was sufficient.
Government Tightens Project Monitoring
The Roads Minister stated that Ghana has suffered over the years from contractors who delay projects until the final stages before failing to deliver on time. “Ghana has suffered over the years, where people say I’ll finish your project at the end of the contractual period, 90 percent of them never finished,” he said.
According to him, government has now adopted a stricter project management approach that focuses on monitoring incremental progress rather than waiting until the final completion period.
“We have taken a conscious decision. We never allow any contractor to take it to the end to disappoint us,” Hon. Agbodza stressed. He warned that contractors who consistently fail to meet interim targets risk being removed from projects before completion deadlines are reached.
The Minister pointed out that more than 5,000 contractors are registered with the Ministry of Roads and Highways and are seeking opportunities to work on government projects.
“Even if we do 20 percent and we see signs that you cannot continue, we actually pack the company. So no contractor is allowed to take liberties; you work according to our timelines.”Minister for Roads and Highways, Hon Governs Kwame Agbodza
Government Insists on Accountability
Hon. Agbodza concluded by emphasising that contractors must account for delays immediately rather than relying on assurances tied only to the final project deadline.
“We are not talking about the end of the project. How would you recover that? Because you incrementally meet specific timelines towards the actual end of the project.”Minister for Roads and Highways, Hon Governs Kwame Agbodza
He warned that failure to meet interim performance targets could signal a contractor’s inability to complete the work successfully. “Once you are missing those ones, it means that you are of a definite qualification,” he said.
The Kumasi Ring Road project forms part of the government’s broader Big Push infrastructure programme aimed at improving road connectivity and easing congestion in major urban centres across Ghana.
The Minister’s tough stance reinforces the Mahama administration’s broader commitment to strict project supervision and timely delivery of all flagship Big Push infrastructure projects.
Government officials have repeatedly stressed that road contractors will be held accountable to performance timelines, with the administration determined to ensure major road projects across the country are completed within the targeted 24-month implementation period to accelerate economic growth, improve connectivity, and deliver tangible benefits to communities.
