The government has consulted the Occupant of the Golden Stool, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, as it prepares to clear an 80km greenfield within the Ashanti Region to make way for the proposed Accra-Kumasi Expressway Project.
During a joint courtesy call by a delegation from the Ministry for Roads and Highways and the Ministry for Defence on April 10, 2026, the Deputy Minister for Defence, Ernest Brogya Genfi, appealed to the Asantehene to help secure the cooperation and understanding of chiefs within the affected towns.
“The entire project is 198.7 km and 80 km of that fall within the Ashanti Region. The nature of that space is quite critical. It covers the farms of people and illegal mining dens.
“We are here for the blessings, counsel and prayer of Otumfuo. We also want His Majesty’s intervention to engage chiefs within the affected area for their cooperation.”
He stated that the clearance is a critical preparatory phase of the project, aimed at improving the project’s feasibility and supporting both initial and detailed engineering.
Clearance
For his part, the Director of Engineering Services of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), Col Jonas Wiafe, informed Otumfuo about the key role the military will be playing in the initial phase which deals with clearing the right of way within the designated corridor of the expressway.
This work is expected to commence next week and covers a total of 80km of greenfield within the Ashanti Region.
“We will begin clearing the route in Ashanti Region next week in accordance with our schedule. We have earmarked a space at Gyadamuwa and Banka to set up our camp. We have about 80km of greenfields to clear up to Kwaso. However, the road project itself will end at Sewua.”
In total, the entire earmarked greenfield covers 175 km stretch from Ablekuma in Greater Accra through to Kwaso, Eastern Region.
Col Wiafe also informed Otumfuo that his team will be working alongside Valuers and Physical Planning officers to document affected farmers for the necessary compensation.
The military will hand over to the Ministry of Roads and Highways to continue the project after the clearance is completed.
Project
In his submission, the Minister for Roads, Governs Kwame Agbodza, said the Accra-Kumasi Expressway is a flagship project under the government’s Big Bush Infrastructure Programme and aims to improve connectivity between Accra and Kumasi and reduce travel time along the corridor.
He noted that the idea of an expressway is to provide an alternative drive route for commuters in the form of a free way and reduce travel period to two hours.
This route, he noted will not pass through communities.
“This is to give a free way where if you don’t have anything to do along the way you should be able to get to Kumasi in about two hours. We chose the alignment to also avoid communities and to make sure that we can do this within a record of time. So the idea is to build six lanes of an expressway, three lanes in, three lanes out and also to give some exit when we get to the communities that are far and very near.”
Ongoing Dualisation Project
He assured Otumfuo that the proposed project would not affect the ongoing dualisation project.
According to him, budgetary allocation has been planned to keep the work in progress.
Compensation
The Roads Minister added that the government intends to compensate farmers who will be affected by the proposed projects.
“Of course the land doesn’t currently belong to the government of Ghana but by the laws of our country we are in the process of getting an executive instrument to acquire it the right way and then also pay all the appropriate compensations to anybody who will be affected whether it’s a farm, whether it’s bare land or not.”
Work Within Timeline
Otumfuo welcomed the mission as positive news, particularly about plans to complete the existing dual Accra-Kumasi road as well as the proposed expressway.
“All these projects are geared towards national development,” Otumfuo said.
However, His Majesty demanded that the schedule for completion of proposed project be strictly followed for timely completion.
“Expedite works to complete it on time. If the clearance is completed on time, the main work could start in June for completion on time. You intended to complete it in 2027 but I extend it to 2028 for you. I want it completed and commissioned so that I will drive through it.”
His Majesty called for commitment from both the government and the contractor.
“I would have asked about funding if the Finance Minister were here. Is there an available fund for this? The engineers and Ministers must exhibit dedication to the project. Find the right contractor to do a sustainable project for us.”
Meanwhile Otumfuo affirmed his support in whatever way needed.
“I will have chiefs called so I speak to them.”
The delegation included the Minister for Roads and Highways, Governs Kwame Agbodza; the Deputy Minister for Defence, Brogya Genfi; the Chief of Defence Staff, Lieutenant General William Agyapong; the Director of Engineering Service of the Ghana Armed Fores (GAF), Col Jonas Wiafe; Deputy Minister for Roads, Alhassan Suhuyini; and the Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr Frank Amoakohene.
Source:
opemsuo.com
