Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson has described the Accra-Kumasi Expressway as more than a road project, noting its ultimate objective is to improve connectivity between the southern and northern parts of Ghana.

According to him, the government’s broader vision is to use the expressway project to open up the country and create a major transport corridor stretching from the south to the north.

Dr. Forson made the comment in an interview on Ahenfie FM in Kumasi, Monday, September 14.

“The Accra-Kumasi Expressway is not just a road linking the capital city and second largest city, Kumasi. No. It is far from that. The intention of government is to open the country up, from South to North,” Dr. Ato Forson said.

He explained that because access to northern Ghana necessarily involves travelling through the middle belt, the first phase of the project would focus on connecting Accra to Kumasi.

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He said the second phase would involve the construction of the Kumasi Outer Ring Road, also referred to as the Kumasi Orbital Road.

“After this is done, the President will announce the second phase, then we continue to Tamale,” he said.

Dr. Ato Forson said extending the corridor to Tamale would effectively create a major north-south connection across the country and provide the foundation for broader economic transformation.

“That means that you have successfully connected the country from the South to the North. That is the beginning of transformation,” he stated.

The Finance Minister stressed that the significance of the project should not be measured simply by the distance it covers to Kumasi.

“The Expressway is beyond Kumasi. It is building a country,” he said.

He argued that Ghana had made insufficient progress in developing major national road infrastructure since the construction of the Accra-Tema Motorway under Ghana’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, in the early 1960s.

“Let’s call a spade a spade, we have not done well as a country,” Dr. Ato Forson said.

“After Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah in the early 60s built Accra-Tema Motorway, 19km, what have we done ourselves as the new generation?” he asked.

The Finance Minister said the Accra-Kumasi Expressway should therefore be viewed as part of a long-term national infrastructure strategy rather than simply a project to improve travel between Accra and Kumasi.

Engineers of the 48 Engineer Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces cleared 175.6 kilometres of the corridor in 19 weeks, a week ahead of the original 20-week schedule. The cleared stretch runs from Ablekuma in the Greater Accra Region to Sewua in the Ashanti Region, through virgin forest, rivers and streams.

According to government, the full expressway will cover approximately 198.7 kilometres, comprising 176 kilometres of newly constructed six-lane dual carriageway and about 23 kilometres of upgraded connector roads at the Accra and Kumasi ends.

President Mahama described the project as the single largest capital investment by any government in the history of Ghana.

The Managing Director of Accra-Kumasi Expressway Limited, Engineer Francis Ahlidza, disclosed at the handover that the road will be built as a Class A highway with a three-lane dual carriageway on a 36-metre standard roadbed, with a design speed of 120km/h.

It will feature 8 grade-separated interchanges, 11 vehicle overpasses and 55 mainline bridges, 9 at-grade intersections, about 200 box culverts and four service areas. 

Once completed, the expressway is expected to reduce the distance between Accra and Kumasi by about 50 kilometres, cut journey time from about six hours to two hours and reduce travel costs by approximately 40%.

On financing, Dr Forson had earlier told Parliament during the 2026 Mid-Year Fiscal Policy Review that US$1.7 billion had been deposited into a dedicated Accra-Kumasi Expressway Account at the Bank of Ghana and ring-fenced for the project.

At the handover ceremony, President Mahama said an initial $2 billion is now available for commencement, with the amount expected to reach $4 billion by close of the year to fully finance the project.

Government says the Expression of Interest for pre-qualification of contractors was published on September 11, 2026, with contract award expected before the end of the year