The Minister for Roads and Highways, Governs Kwame Agbodza, has directed consultants and road agencies to accelerate the review and approval of construction designs, proposing that all technical issues be resolved on-site in a single sitting to prevent unnecessary delays on major road projects.
Speaking during an inspection of Phase One and Two of the Suame Interchange project in Kumasi on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, Agbodza criticised the prevailing practice in which contractors submit designs and wait days or weeks for feedback from consultants and government agencies.
“We don’t have one week to solve this problem. So call them tomorrow or Thursday or Friday. Do the design review at one meeting. Solve the problem on site,” the Minister said.
Agbodza further suggested that temporary facilities be erected at project sites to allow contractors, consultants and the relevant road agencies to review proposed changes and resolve technical issues immediately.
“In fact, you can just mount a tent here. Mount a tent on the side. Solve the problem on site,” he said.
According to the Minister, conducting design reviews on-site gives consultants and other stakeholders a better understanding of actual ground conditions and helps make the proposed designs more practical. The directive follows a similar call made in July 2026, when Agbodza urged contractors handling major road and bridge projects to introduce regular on-site design review meetings, warning against relying solely on the submission-and-wait approach to drawing approvals.
A Project Reshaped by Funding and Design Changes
The Suame Interchange, one of the most significant infrastructure projects in the Ashanti Region, has followed a difficult path to its current stage. Awarded to Spain’s Grupo Dizmar and Ghana’s Rango Construction Limited at approximately $257 million under the previous NPP administration, the project stalled after Ghana’s debt situation prevented the contractor from drawing down loan funds. Separate delays arose from the relocation of Ghana Water Company pipelines and outstanding compensation payments to affected residents.
In February 2026, Agbodza revised the original four-tier interchange design down to three tiers, citing shifting traffic projections following the government’s commitment to build the Kumasi Outer Ring Road under the Big Push programme. The redesign was projected to save approximately GH¢100 million in additional costs by avoiding extensive demolitions and utility relocations. The Minister rejected criticism from the NPP’s Ashanti Caucus, which accused the government of downgrading the project, explaining that only the fourth-tier bridge had been eliminated because its expropriation costs no longer justified the design.
In April 2026, the government announced the payment of GH¢429.5 million — equivalent to $29.5 million — in outstanding arrears owed to the contractor, alongside an additional GH¢3 billion for the revised interchange, the outer ring road and associated works. Agbodza stressed at the time that no funding had been removed from the project itself.
Phase Two Nears Completion
Phase Two of the project, which comprises the construction of three overpasses and local road improvements, is currently 87 percent complete and is expected to be opened to traffic by the end of October 2026. The overpasses at Anomangye Junction and Magazine New Road Junction have been fully completed, while the overpass at Abusuakruwa Junction stands at 98.25 percent. The phase also includes the widening of Offinso Road (N10) into a 2×3-lane dual carriageway, currently 77 percent complete, and the construction of 15 kilometres of local roads, of which 13.2 kilometres have been finished.
Phase One, the more complex portion of the project, involves the construction of a three-tier interchange at Suame, two overpasses at Abrepo and Krofrom junctions, and the widening of the Eastern and Western Bypass roads. As recently as March 2026, officials put Phase One at only around 13 percent complete, with the Ghana Water pipeline relocation around the roundabout area still unresolved.
The full interchange is now expected to be delivered by October 2028.
Broader Infrastructure Push
The Suame Interchange forms part of the government’s broader efforts to improve road infrastructure and address persistent traffic congestion in the Kumasi metropolis. The Ministry is simultaneously implementing other major projects in the region, including the Accra–Kumasi Expressway, the Kumasi Outer Ring Road, and upgrades to the Inner Ring Road network.
Agbodza expressed optimism that the coordinated implementation of these projects would significantly improve mobility, reduce congestion, and support economic activities in Kumasi and surrounding areas.
