President John Dramani Mahama has described the long-standing connection between Ghana’s two most populous cities, Accra and Kumasi, by a single carriageway as unacceptable, saying the situation is “long overdue” for change.
Speaking in Kumasi on Monday, September 14, 2026, President Mahama said the Accra-Kumasi Expressway would address a major infrastructure gap that has persisted for nearly seven decades.
He made the remarks at Kwaso, near Ejisu, where the Ghana Armed Forces formally handed over the cleared 175.6-kilometre right of way for the project to the government.
“This project is long overdue. These two cities are the cities with the biggest population in Ghana and they also have the largest commercial and economic activity in Ghana, Accra and Kumasi,” President Mahama said.
He noted that other countries had developed dual and triple carriageways linking cities with comparatively smaller populations and economic activity.
“It is a shame that for 70 years we have had to have our two largest cities connected by a single carriageway. This is going to change,” he assured.
175.6km corridor cleared ahead of schedule
The handover represents a major milestone under the government’s Big Push Infrastructure Programme.
The 48 Engineer Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces completed the clearing of the 175.6-kilometre corridor in 19 weeks, finishing one week ahead of the 20-week schedule.
President Mahama described the Accra-Kumasi Expressway as the single largest capital investment by any government in Ghana’s history.
Six-lane expressway from Accra to Kumasi
The Accra-Kumasi Expressway will span approximately 198.7 kilometres, stretching from Ablekuma in the Greater Accra Region to Sewua in the Ashanti Region.
The project comprises about 176 kilometres of new six-lane dual carriageway and approximately 23 kilometres of upgraded connector roads at the Accra and Kumasi ends.
According to the Managing Director of Accra-Kumasi Expressway Limited, Engineer Francis Ahlidza, the mainline will be constructed as a Class A highway, featuring a 36-metre-wide roadbed and a design speed of 120 kilometres per hour.
The project will also include:
- Eight grade-separated interchanges
- 11 vehicle overpasses
- 55 mainline bridges
- Nine at-grade intersections
- About 200 box culverts
- Four service areas
- Eight tolling locations
- An intelligent transport system
Travel time expected to fall from six hours to two
Government says the completed expressway will reduce the distance between Accra and Kumasi by about 50 kilometres.
It is also expected to cut travel time from approximately six hours to two hours and reduce transportation costs by about 40 per cent.
Government promises full funding by December
Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson assured Ghanaians at the ceremony that the full amount required for the project would be available by December 2026 without external borrowing.
Government had earlier announced that US$1.7 billion had been ring-fenced for the project.
President Mahama, however, indicated during the handover that an initial US$2 billion was now available, with the amount expected to rise to US$4 billion by the end of the year.
The Ministry of Roads and Highways published an Expression of Interest on September 11, 2026, for the pre-qualification of contractors for the project.
