Roads and Highways minister-designate lauds Bawumia for conceding defeat timeously

Kwame Governs Agbodza, the Minister-designate for Roads and Highways, has commended former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia for promptly conceding defeat after realizing the New Patriotic Party (NPP) had lost the 2024 general election.

“I must commend former Vice President Bawumia. Despite the earlier rhetoric suggesting that the NPP would not hand over power, he quickly conceded defeat when he realized the National Democratic Congress (NDC) had convincingly won the December 7 election,” he said.

Kwame Agbodza made these remarks in response to a question posed by Frank Annor-Dompreh, the NPP Member of Parliament for Nsawam-Adoagyiri and First Deputy Minority Chief Whip. Annor-Dompreh had asked him to mention three policies or initiatives by the NPP government that he could commend.

The comments came during Agbodza's vetting before the Appointments Committee of Parliament in Accra on Monday.

The nominee also praised the NPP government for its vision in education, particularly the implementation of the Free Senior High School policy.

When asked about the legacy he hopes to leave at the Roads Ministry upon his approval, Kwame Agbodza emphasized his commitment to establishing an efficient and sustainable road industry.

“I am deeply concerned about the level of debt in the road sector. Therefore, we will explore sustainable ways to settle road compensations,” he stated.

“I will ensure that operations are conducted efficiently and effectively, while promoting President Mahama’s vision for the Ministry to fulfill his mandate,” he added.

On the issue of road sector debt, Agbodza criticized the Akufo-Addo-led government, stating that it had left behind a debt of GH¢135 billion in 2024.

He explained that the debt consisted of GH¢100 billion in commitments to road contractors, GH¢20 billion in unpaid certificates, and GH¢15 billion owed to road stakeholders by the Road Fund.

The minister-designate pledged to collaborate with the Minister of Finance to develop a sustainable approach to clearing this debt.

Agbodza also stressed the need to prioritize road maintenance over the construction of new roads.

He expressed dissatisfaction with the poor lighting systems on major roads such as the Tema Motorway, citing the absence of streetlights as a key challenge. He pledged to address these issues upon his approval.

Touching on the electronic gate (e-gate) at Kotoka International Airport, Kwame Agbodza stated that the facility, constructed by the previous government, had no formal contract.

He argued that Ghana should not have paid for it, asserting that the e-gate should have been implemented for free as part of the National Border Management System overseen by the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority.

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