President John Dramani Mahama on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, cut the sod in Afienya to begin the government’s Big Push infrastructure programme, starting with the Dawhenya–Ayikuma–Dodowa and Tema–Aflao roads.

He said the initiative, a major campaign promise on which the National Democratic Congress (NDC) won the 2024 elections, was aimed at closing Ghana’s annual infrastructure gap of $1.5 billion, especially in the road 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 at the sod cutting ceremony.

“The Big Push touches all 16 regions in this country. Every region is going to benefit from its share.”

Explaining the criteria for selecting projects, President Mahama said the first priority was to connect regional capitals, followed by links between districts, and then roads in 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.

The President assured communities that his pledge to upgrade the Dawhenya–Ayikuma–Dodowa road was being fulfilled.

“During the campaign, I promised that if there was one road I would start with, it would be this one. Today is promise delivered.”

On financing, President Mahama disclosed that GH¢13.9 billion had already been allocated to the Big Push, with an additional GH¢30 billion to be provided in 2026 to cover health, education, agriculture, agribusiness and sports. “Payment will not be a problem. This programme is fully funded,” he said.

He also announced interventions for constituencies with poor 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,” the President stated.

He said GH¢5 billion would be drawn annually from the Road Fund for maintenance, including pothole patching and drainage clearing, stressing that the Big Push would not replace the existing road budget.

He underscored the role of reliable transport in economic growth. “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.”

The President praised the Minister for Roads and Highways, Mr Kwame Governs Agbodza, and local contractors engaged under the programme, insisting that quality would not be compromised. “This is not for wheelbarrow contractors,” he said.

“Several of our local contractors have the same capacity as any foreign contractor, and I have confidence in their performance.”