Accra-Kumasi bypass contractors resume work as minister sets 2027 deadline

Pinned summary · as of 15:55

Contractors have returned to work on the Accra-Kumasi bypass after an earlier pause, the Roads and Highways Minister said during a 29 September inspection tour. Mr Agbodza reaffirmed the government's commitment to completing all eight sections by the end of 2027 and summoned the supervising consultant to explain its absence from the site.

What we know

• Mr Agbodza visited the Accra-Kumasi bypass on 29 September to review progress, as reported by MyJoyOnline, Citi Newsroom and Kessben Online.
• Contractors have returned to the bypass and resumed work across all sections, according to MyJoyOnline and Opemsuo 104.7.
• Eight sections of the bypass show varying progress: the Anyinam North Bound section is 99 per cent complete, Osino South Bound 77 per cent, Anyinam South Bound 74.6 per cent, Konongo South Bound 74 per cent, Osino North Bound 70 per cent, Enyiresi South Bound 65 per cent, Konongo North Bound 60 per cent and Enyiresi North Bound 64 per cent, according to MyJoyOnline and Opemsuo 104.7.
• The minister said supervisory staff and certification officials, not the minister alone, bear responsibility for the quality of finished work and must account for failures from poor workmanship, according to MyJoyOnline, Citi Newsroom and Adom Online.
• Mr Agbodza praised contractors who had returned to site and expressed confidence the project would finish on schedule by the end of 2027, as reported by MyJoyOnline, Citi Newsroom, Kessben Online and Adom Online.
• Rehabilitation work is ongoing on the existing Accra-Kumasi Highway with sectional maintenance of damaged sections to be followed by an asphaltic overlay, according to MyJoyOnline and Opemsuo 104.7.

What's disputed / unconfirmed

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  Citi Newsroom and Adom Online reported that the minister summoned ADK, the supervising consultant, because it was absent during his 29 September visit. He said he would ask for its removal if it offered no satisfactory explanation on Thursday. No outcome of that meeting has been reported.
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  Citi Newsroom reported that the minister called the Konongo section one of the most challenging because of congestion on the existing road and said Ashanti Region stakeholders have pressed for its completion. No other source confirmed these details.
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  MyJoyOnline reported that at the Kumasi Outer Ring Road the minister pressed Arab Contractors Ghana Limited to accelerate work, noting activities appeared concentrated on earthworks and saying no time extension would be granted without proper justification. This has not been confirmed by other reports.
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  Citi Newsroom reported that at the Suame Interchange the minister asked consultants and road agencies to speed up design approvals and proposed joint review meetings with contractors and officials in a single sitting to resolve technical issues promptly. No other source has reported this.
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  About 5 per cent of Phase One of the Suame Interchange has been completed with a target completion date of 2028. Citi Newsroom, Adom Online, MyJoyOnline, Opemsuo 104.7 and Onua Online all reported the figure, and the minister said 2028 is too distant and called for a crash programme on critical parts. The outcome of these calls has not been reported.

Why it matters for Ghana

The Accra-Kumasi corridor carries the movement of people, goods and services between Ghana's two largest cities, so delays and poor finishing affect journey times, transport costs and road safety. Communities around Konongo in Ashanti Region, and residents in Kumasi watching the Outer Ring Road and Suame Interchange, have strong interest in how quickly these projects advance. The minister's emphasis on consultants and supervisory staff taking joint responsibility reflects concerns about whether roads funded by the state remain usable over time.