Government Pays GH₢13bn Towards Inherited Road Projects, Roads Minister Reveals

The Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwame Governs Agbodza, has disclosed that the government has paid at least GH₢13 billion towards road projects inherited from the previous administration, pushing back against claims that ongoing infrastructure works have been abandoned.

The Minister made the revelation while responding to questions during the Annual Progress Report hearings organised by Parliament’s Economy Committee, where he defended the government’s commitment to infrastructure continuity and fiscal responsibility.

“So far, GH₢13 billion has been paid for projects executed before the new government took office,” Mr Agbodza told the committee. “That is the difference. That is what Ghanaians expected us to do.”

The disclosure is significant in a political landscape where incoming administrations have historically been accused of neglecting or outright abandoning projects initiated by their predecessors. Mr Agbodza argued that the current approach marks a deliberate departure from that pattern.

“In the past, the attitude would have been: ‘We did not start it, so let it rest while we begin our own projects,’” he noted. “Government is doing new things, but not at the expense of what we inherited. We are continuing existing projects while adding new ones to ensure we meet our national development targets.”

A key enabler of this strategy has been Parliament’s decision to de-cap the Road Fund, allowing the sector to retain all revenues accrued to it rather than having a portion siphoned into the consolidated fund. The Minister explained that the capping arrangement had become counterproductive, particularly given that the Road Fund was already carrying a deficit of approximately GH₢13 billion.

“Capping a fund that was already burdened with a GH₢13 billion deficit was not helpful,” Mr Agbodza said. “Parliament therefore decided to de-cap the Road Fund, and we now receive every pesewa that accrues to it.”

The Minister also addressed the persistent problem of escalating project costs in the road sector, attributing it to poor planning and weak project management practices over many years. He cited instances where projects initially valued at around GH₢50 million eventually cost as much as GH₢300 million due to successive contract variations, rate revisions and prolonged implementation periods.

“Part of the reason projects get out of hand is the way they are structured and managed throughout their implementation period,” he said. “Projects must be properly structured and delivered within defined timelines if we are to avoid these excessive cost overruns.”

The Minister’s remarks come at a time when Ghanaians are closely scrutinising government spending on infrastructure, with many communities across the country still awaiting the completion of road projects that have stalled for years. The commitment to settling inherited debts while simultaneously launching new projects signals an attempt to balance fiscal prudence with the urgent need for improved road networks.

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