Former Deputy Minister for Roads and Highways, Isaac Adjei Mensah, has advised Ghanaians not to anticipate new road projects this year under the Akufo-Addo administration.
He explained that the government’s primary focus is to utilise the International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout to effectively stabilise the country’s economy, which has been struggling for at least two years.
This statement comes in the wake of the approval of a second tranche of US$600 million as part of Ghana’s bailout package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
While Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has indicated that the funds will be used for various programs outlined in the 2024 Budget, the Ranking Member on the Roads and Highways Committee of Parliament contends that the budgetary allocation for roads is not noteworthy.
“The roads sector is very bad yet this government lacks maintenance culture and is unable to fix the roads the erstwhile NDC government left behind,” the MP for Wassa East said on Dwaboase programme on TV XYZ.
The legislator went on to say the government has failed to maintain existing roads, which has led to most highways deteriorating across the country.
“This government has received more revenue than any government in the history of this country but if you as President Akufo-Addo to tell you what his administration has done with the huge funds and loans, he would not be able to tell you,” he added.
To him, the government is not willing to rehabilitate roads anytime soon, adding that “the IMF funds will be pumped into the economy but not roads.”
“If the government does not misuse the IMF cash, the economy can be stabilised, but speaking of roads, all major flagship projects have been suspended,” he stated.