The government is committed to reducing travel time on the Accra-Kumasi Highway by constructing four bypasses along the route, according to Mr. Francis Asenso-Boakye, the Minister for Roads and Highways.
He explained that, due to increased population and urbanization, it has become necessary to reroute the highway around major towns that experience heavy traffic during peak hours, causing significant delays for travelers.
The Minister made these comments to the media after inspecting the progress on the Osino, Anyinam, Enyiresi, and Konongo bypasses, noting that the Accra-Kumasi Highway is the crucial trunk road linking the two largest cities in the country.
“In all, we are constructing four different by-passes of which we have given to eight local contractors and each by-pass has two lots and I have had the opportunity to visit all the project sites,” he explained.
He noted that, in addition to the main road improvements, there are several other interventions planned, including drainage systems, underpasses, overpasses, and a 40-meter-long bridge spanning the Birim River.
“So far, I must say that I am fairly satisfied with the progress of work. I am saying this because I wish the progress of work would have been faster than this, but we are also operating in an area that has suffered a lot of galamsey activities and also waterlogged and swampy areas which has hindered the speed of the work,” he observed.
The Minister expressed optimism that the work pace would accelerate now that most obstacles, including compensation for those whose farms were impacted by the project, have been addressed.
“Should this be completed, it is going to transform the transportation situation on the corridor by reducing the travelling time drastically,” he reiterated.
The Ministry of Roads and Highways, through the Ghana Highway Authority, has secured funding from the Government of Ghana (GOG) Consolidated Fund for the dualization of the Accra-Kumasi Highway between Apedwa Junction and Ejisu.
This initiative is part of the government’s commitment to upgrading the road network along Ghana’s central corridor to boost socio-economic activities.
The project will be incorporated into the National Route N6, which links the capital city of Accra with Kumasi, the country’s second-largest city.