Minister for Roads and Highways, Governs Kwame Agbodza, has announced sweeping reforms in Ghana’s road infrastructure policy, vowing to bring an end to what he described as the “free-for-all” contract awarding practices under the previous administration.
Addressing the media during the Government Accountability Series on Wednesday, July 30, the Adaklu MP stressed that the current government will only initiate road projects that have been carefully planned, programmed, and budgeted for.
Mr. Agbodza accused the former Akufo-Addo-Bawumia administration of contributing to widespread delays in road construction due to poor planning and unchecked contract awards.
The Minister lamented that, until recently, contractors regularly approached the ministry with unsolicited proposals, expecting instant approval.
“As a minister, everyday people come to me ‘I’ve got this package and they are throwing it in front of me to just approve’, reset means that that cannot be done. We’ll only go ahead projects that have been programmed and budgeted for,” he said.
He noted that these reforms are in line with President Mahama’s broader commitment to restore accountability and order across government institutions.
“I’m pleading with everybody interested in playing a role in the road sector that the days of uncontrolled, unregulated award of contracts is far gone, we’ll only start projects that we are sure we can fund,” Agbodza added.
