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Many people are, rightly so, excited by the contractor returning to site, to provide relief for commuters on the Pokuase-Nsawam / Accra-Kumasi road. I’m happy for them, but I’m not excited until President Mahama takes the bull by the horns.
You see, the 2018 pre-feasibility for the Accra-Kumasi Expressway recommended a funding model that would involve a long-term concession for the private sector to inject private capital and recoup their investment in the long-term through tolls paid by users of that road. The reason that road has not been constructed yet and citizens are suffering is because Government of Ghana does not have the $2.9 billion estimated cost of the 6-lane Accra-Kumasi Expressway!
And the main reason why I’m not excited? Given the maintenance culture of this country, I will bet my last Cedi that even if GoG is able to complete that road, in a few years’ time the road would be crying for regular maintenance but there would be non.
Whenever the Accra-Tema Motorway is mentioned, Ghanaians remember Dr. Kwame Nkrumah for a good job done! Will the future generation remember President Mahama for the Accra-Kumasi Expressway? Mr. President, your move!!!