The Minister for Roads and Highways, Governs Kwame Agbodza, has assured Parliament that the proposed Accra–Kumasi Expressway will serve as an alternative route and not a replacement for the existing highway, as lawmakers approved the concession agreement for the project.
Addressing the House during deliberations, the minister explained that the construction of the expressway is in line with regional and continental transport protocols, which allow tolling on expressways provided motorists are given a free alternative route.
“The ECOWAS and the AU protocol say that when you build an expressway, you are allowed to charge a certain level of toll to recover the cost. But you must have an alternative that if somebody wants to go to Kumasi in six hours, he will also have the alternative,” Mr Agbodza stated.
He stressed that the current Accra–Kumasi highway will remain operational, giving road users the choice between the existing road and the new tolled expressway, depending on their travel needs and preferences.
The Roads Minister also underscored the strategic importance of the corridor, describing it as the most critical road link in the country.
“There’s no road in Ghana that is more important than the road between Accra and Kumasi,” he said, adding that the project represents a long-term investment in national development.
According to him, the expressway, which will be developed as a six-lane dual carriageway, is expected to significantly improve road safety, reduce travel time, and enhance the overall efficiency of transportation between the two major cities. “Indeed, we are doing something that we’ll be proud of maybe in five years,” he added.
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