Roads Minister responds to World Bank’s Big Push warning

Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwame Governs Agbodza, has outlined measures the government intends to implement to ensure roads and bridges constructed under the Big Push infrastructure programme do not become a future financial burden on the state.

The minister said the government’s strategy would focus on securing sustainable and equitable financing for road maintenance while ensuring that completed projects are properly maintained throughout their lifespan.

Big push projects not for sale, report fraudsters – Roads minister warns

In a post on his X page on Thursday, August 27, 2026, Agbodza said the government would fully operationalise the Road Maintenance Trust Fund established under the Road Maintenance Trust Fund Act, 2025 (Act 1147).

He said the Ministry would work with the Ministry of Finance to improve the flow and equitable allocation of Road User Charges, while strengthening transparency and accountability in the management of funds earmarked for road maintenance.

The government also plans to reintroduce electronic road and bridge tolling as part of efforts to expand the revenue base available to the Road Fund.

According to Agbodza, the measures are intended to address one of the country's longstanding challenges: spending heavily to construct roads only for them to deteriorate due to inadequate maintenance.

He said all completed Big Push road and bridge projects would therefore be placed under performance-based maintenance programmes, with dedicated funding from the Road Fund.

“The Ministry’s strategy to prevent future maintenance liability is to strengthen sustainable and equitable road maintenance financing through the full operationalisation of the Road Maintenance Trust Fund established under the Act, 2025 (Act 1147),” he stated.

Agbodza explained that the government’s approach would mark a shift from the traditional cycle of constructing roads, allowing them to deteriorate and subsequently spending more money to rehabilitate them.

“In addition, all completed Big Push road and bridge projects will be placed under performance-based maintenance programmes, with dedicated funding from the Road Fund,” he added.

He said the ultimate objective was to ensure that roads and bridges delivered under the government's major infrastructure programme remain useful and in good condition instead of becoming another maintenance challenge for future governments.

“These measures will shift the country from a ‘build–deteriorate–rehabilitate’ cycle to a ‘build–maintain–preserve’ approach,” Agbodza said.

The minister’s comments come in response to concerns raised by the World Bank about the potential maintenance burden associated with Ghana’s ambitious infrastructure programme.

The government has been implementing the Big Push programme as a major infrastructure initiative aimed at addressing critical road and other infrastructure deficits across the country.

Agbodza’s latest position suggests that, alongside the construction of new infrastructure, the government intends to put in place a dedicated financing and maintenance framework to preserve the roads and bridges once completed.

Read the full post below



NA/VPO