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President John Dramani Mahama on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, officially launched the government’s ambitious Big Push infrastructure programme with a sod-cutting ceremony at Afienya. The event marked the start of construction on the Dawhenya–Ayikuma–Dodowa and Tema–Aflao roads.
The Big Push, a major campaign pledge on which the National Democratic Congress (NDC) secured the 2024 elections, is aimed at bridging Ghana’s $1.5 billion annual infrastructure gap, particularly in the transport sector.
“This sod-cutting is the first, but we are going to cut sod in five different areas to mark the start of the whole Big Push programme,” President Mahama said. “The Big Push touches all 16 regions in this country. Every region is going to benefit from its share.”
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Explaining the criteria for selecting projects, the President noted that priority would be given to roads linking regional capitals, followed by connections between districts, and then roads serving major food-producing and industrial zones.
“We believe it should be easy for people to travel from one capital to another. It should be easy for people to travel from Wa to Bolgatanga or from Accra to Cape Coast,” he said.
Mahama stressed that the sod-cutting at Dawhenya was a direct fulfilment of a campaign promise. “During the campaign, I promised that if there was one road I would start with, it would be this one. Today is a promise delivered.”
On financing, the President disclosed that GH¢13.9 billion has already been allocated to the Big Push, with an additional GH¢30 billion expected in 2026 to support roads, health, education, agriculture, agribusiness, and sports.
“Payment will not be a problem. This programme is fully funded,” he assured.
He also announced a special intervention for constituencies with the poorest roads. “We have selected 166 constituencies with the worst roads in Ghana, and we are going to give them 10 kilometres of roads and drains a year for four years. They will get 40 kilometres each.”
Mahama added that GH¢5 billion would be drawn annually from the Road Fund to support routine maintenance, including pothole patching and drainage works, stressing that the Big Push would complement—not replace—the existing road budget.
Underscoring the role of reliable transport in economic growth, Mahama said, “Roads are important to any economy in transformation. America became America because of the road and rail network they built early. We need to open up our country with roads, railways and aviation so we can push our economic transformation forward.”
He praised Roads and Highways Minister Kwame Governs Agbodza, as well as local contractors, assuring that quality standards would be maintained. “This is not for wheelbarrow contractors. Several of our local contractors have the same capacity as any foreign contractor, and I have confidence in their performance.”
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