New Expressway Project: Why the Armed Forces Are Taking a Key Role

Ghana’s long-awaited Accra-Kumasi Expressway project has moved a major step closer to construction after the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) formally handed over 175.6 kilometres of cleared right-of-way to the Ministry of Roads and Highways.

The handover, held at Kwaso near Ejisu in the Ashanti Region on Monday, September 14, marks the completion of a crucial preparatory phase for the proposed 198.7-kilometre expressway.

The 48 Engineer Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces undertook the clearing exercise and completed the challenging assignment in 19 weeks, one week ahead of the original 20-week schedule. The cleared corridor stretches from Ablekuma in the Greater Accra Region to Sewua in the Ashanti Region.

President John Dramani Mahama, who received the cleared corridor on behalf of the government, described the achievement as a major milestone and praised the engineers for completing the work through difficult terrain, including forests, rivers, and streams.

“Mission accomplished,” the President said while commending the Armed Forces for completing the assignment ahead of schedule.

The Armed Forces’ role is going beyond clearing the land

The military’s involvement in the project will not end with the right-of-way clearance.

President Mahama has directed the Ministry of Roads and Highways to include the 48 Engineer Regiment as a major subcontractor to the main contractor building the expressway.

The decision gives the Ghana Armed Forces a direct role in the delivery of a major national infrastructure project and builds on the engineering capacity demonstrated during the corridor-clearing exercise. The President also announced that the regiment would be considered for a national honor in recognition of its work.

The President further directed the Armed Forces to begin preparations to clear the right-of-way for the proposed New Accra Orbital Road, signalling a potentially broader role for military engineers in major road infrastructure projects.

$2 billion already secured for the project

Another major announcement from the handover ceremony was confirmation that $2 billion has already been secured to begin financing the Accra-Kumasi Expressway.

President Mahama said the money has been placed in a dedicated account at the Bank of Ghana and is sourced from domestic taxpayer funds rather than external borrowing.

He assured potential contractors that financing should not become a cause of delays once construction begins, saying the government intends to make payments promptly for certified work completed on the project.

Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson has separately stated that the government intends to have the full funding required for the project available by December 31, 2026, maintaining that the project will be financed without borrowing. Earlier government figures indicated that $1.7 billion had already been mobilized and deposited in the dedicated account at the Bank of Ghana.

The project is estimated to cost about $4 billion.

What the new expressway will change

The Accra-Kumasi Expressway is planned as Ghana’s first six-lane, access-controlled tolled expressway, with a design speed of up to 120 kilometres per hour.

The proposed 198.7-kilometre road is expected to significantly reduce travel time between Accra and Kumasi, Ghana’s two major economic centres, while easing pressure on the existing route.

Government projections indicate the new road could bring the journey between the two cities down to about two hours while improving road safety, reducing congestion, and lowering transport costs.

The project is also being positioned as more than a transport link. The government expects the corridor to stimulate logistics, industrial activity, and new service economies while supporting the broader 24-Hour Economy agenda.

The planned infrastructure includes major interchanges, bridges, intelligent transport systems, electronic tolling, emergency response facilities, and service areas. The design also makes provision for a future railway connection along the corridor.

The construction process now moves into the next phase

With the right-of-way cleared and handed over, attention is shifting from preparatory works to contractor selection and actual construction.

The government published an Expression of Interest for the pre-qualification of contractors on September 11, 2026. The contractor selection process is expected to take no more than four weeks, with the government targeting contract award before the end of the year.

The project is being implemented through Accra-Kumasi Expressway Limited, a special purpose vehicle established under the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF).

The completion of the right-of-way clearance therefore represents more than a ceremonial handover. It removes one of the major preparatory hurdles and puts the project firmly into its next phase.

For motorists, businesses, and communities along the Accra-Kumasi corridor, the focus now turns to whether the project can maintain its momentum from cleared land to actual construction and ultimately deliver the faster, safer, and more modern road promised to connect Ghana’s two major economic hubs.

Source: Graphic Online; Presidency of the Republic of Ghana; Ghana Armed Forces.

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