Minister-Designate Refutes Former President Akufo-Addo’s Claim of 11,000 Kilometres of New Roads Constructed
Kwame Governs Agbodza, the Minister-Designate for Roads and Highways, has disputed former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s assertion that his administration constructed 11,000 kilometres of new roads during its tenure from 2017 to January 2025.
Appearing before the Appointments Committee of Parliament on Monday, January 20, Agbodza provided official data, contradicting the former president’s claims.
Official Data on Road Construction
Agbodza stated that official records indicate the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government constructed only 673 kilometres of entirely new roads during its time in office. He clarified that the remaining 6,185.90 kilometres of work cited by the NPP involved re-gravelling and gravelling existing roads.
“At the time of the transition, the new roads constructed amounted to 673 kilometres. The record in Parliament clearly shows that Ghana did not construct 11,000 kilometres of new roads since 2017 but rather focused on re-gravelling and gravelling,” Agbodza explained.
Distinction Between Road Construction and Maintenance
The minister-designate stressed the importance of distinguishing between constructing new roads and maintaining existing ones, such as through re-gravelling or upgrading.
“While maintenance activities like re-gravelling are essential to preserving the road network, they cannot be classified as the construction of entirely new roads,” he argued.
Agbodza’s comments come amidst ongoing debates about the achievements of the previous administration, with infrastructure development often cited as a key accomplishment by the former president.
Significance of the Clarification
This clarification adds to the scrutiny surrounding infrastructure claims in Ghana and sets a tone for more transparency in reporting road development projects under successive administrations.
