President John Dramani Mahama has commended Roads and Highways Minister Governs Kwame Agbodza for keeping contractors on their toes and ensuring the timely execution of projects under the government’s Big Push programme.
He said the Minister’s efforts were helping to drive the infrastructure programme at the pace expected by the government.
“Let me commend the Roads Minister for the hard work you are doing. You are keeping all the contractors on their toes and it is making the programme we launched under the Big Push move at the pace that we expect,” he said.
President Mahama made the remarks during an inspection of the Ntotroso Bridge in the Ahafo Region as part of his Resetting Ghana Tour on Friday, October 9, 2026.
He was accompanied by Food and Agriculture Minister Eric Opoku, Trade and Agribusiness Minister Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, Local Government Minister Mahama Ayariga, and Ahafo Regional Minister Charity Gardiner. The visit formed part of a two-day working tour of the Ahafo Region, during which the President also inspected the Tepa–Goaso Road project and a poultry, meat, and feed processing facility in Bechem, before concluding with a town hall engagement in Goaso.
A Bridge Reborn After Years of Isolation
The Ntotroso Bridge over the River Tano holds deep significance for the communities it serves. Built during the colonial era and left without major renovation for decades, the bridge collapsed approximately four years ago, severing the vital link between Acherensua and Ntotroso in the Asutifi South and North Districts.
The collapse had devastating consequences. The Queen mother of Acherensua, Nana Mintah Yeboah II, revealed that three people drowned while attempting to use an improvised crossing constructed by a good Samaritan. Commercial drivers and traders were forced to take lengthy detours through Kenyasi, driving up transportation costs and crippling local commerce.
The bridge is now being reconstructed as part of rehabilitation works on the 48-kilometre Sunyani–Atronie–Acherensua road corridor, undertaken by Alexiboam Company Limited. The project had recorded 33.38 per cent physical progress as of August 2026, with completion initially targeted for September 2026 — ending nearly eight years of isolation for the affected communities.
Minister Agbodza has defended his frequent unannounced site visits, telling reporters: “I am Minister for Roads and Highways, so this is where the road is. There is no road in my office.” He added that contractors executing their jobs well are excited to see him on site, while those who are not working have reason to fear his visits.
Big Push Programme Gathers Momentum
The Big Push Infrastructure Programme, launched in September 2025, is a five-year, US13 billion invested in 2025, covering roads, rail, aviation, health, education, agribusiness, and manufacturing infrastructure.
According to Minister Agbodza, contracts worth more than GH₵63 billion have been awarded under the programme, with 73 major road projects currently underway across all 16 regions, covering over 1,700 kilometres. The initiative is estimated to create or sustain 490,000 jobs across the built environment.
The programme is deliberately structured to prioritise Ghanaian contractors, a point the Minister has emphasised repeatedly. “The Big Push is not just about building roads. It is deliberately designed to build Ghanaian capacity,” he said.
Newmont Partnership Held Up as Model
President Mahama also used the occasion to praise Newmont Ghana Gold Limited for its collaboration with the government on infrastructure development, urging other mining companies and large corporate institutions to follow suit.
“These are the kinds of collaborations we want to see. All these big mining companies, big corporate interest, we want that you partner with government,” he said, suggesting arrangements where government and companies share project funding equally while businesses undertake corporate social responsibility initiatives in their host communities.
Newmont’s partnership with the government on the Sunyani–Ntotroso–Akyerensua highway project has been substantial. In 2025, the company paid over GH₵12.8 billion in taxes and statutory payments to the government, with Corporate Tax alone accounting for GH₵5.382 billion. The company also partnered the Ministry of Roads and Highways to rehabilitate the 46-kilometre critical transport corridor linking the Bono and Ahafo regions.
The Vice President, Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, had previously lauded Newmont’s commitment to the road rehabilitation, describing it as “the kind of partnership we must champion, one built on shared vision and mutual respect.” The government is also at an advanced stage of discussions with Newmont to implement the Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme (rCOMSDEP).
Completion Timeline and Outlook
President Mahama expressed confidence that most contracts awarded under the Big Push programme by the end of 2025 would be completed by the end of 2027.
“I am sure by the time we get to the end of 2027, most of the contracts we awarded end of 2025 would have been completed and Ghanaians will see the benefit of the Big Push programme,” he added.
The President’s tour, which has now covered 11 regions, has evolved into what the Information Services Department describes as a national accountability platform, combining project inspections with open dialogue and public engagement. With the Ntotroso Bridge nearing completion and hundreds of kilometres of roads under construction nationwide, the government is positioning the Big Push as the centrepiece of its infrastructure transformation agenda.
