President John Dramani Mahama has inspected the ongoing 28-kilometre Takoradi–Agona Nkwanta road dualisation project and has ordered the immediate release of nearly US$78 million to the Contractor, Justmoh Construction Limited, to speed up work on the strategic highway.
The President gave the directive during an on-site inspection of the project, which forms a key part of the Trans–West African Coastal Highway linking Lagos in Nigeria to Abidjan in Côte d’Ivoire.
Addressing project engineers, government officials and workers, President Mahama described the road as a critical economic corridor, carrying both heavy international and local traffic, particularly due to the Western Region’s rich mineral and industrial base.
“This is an important corridor. It is part of the trans-West African link from Lagos to Abidjan, and a lot of international traffic comes through here.
“Because of the Western Region and its natural resources – manganese and other minerals – so much wealth passes through this road,” he said.
President Mahama revealed that the contractor, one of the largest indigenous road construction firms in the country, had complained of non-payment since the contract was awarded in 2024, a situation he said had severely affected progress on the project.
“The contractor lamented that since he was given the job in 2024, he has not been paid one pesewa. That obviously affected his financial capacity to continue work,” the President stated.
He said, he subsequently directed the Minister for Finance to take urgent steps to clear all outstanding payment certificates owed to the contractor.
“Last week, I directed the Finance Minister and he is going to pay all your outstanding certificates. It amounts to almost $78 million,” President Mahama announced.
“You will be paid so that you can continue work and even complete the project ahead of schedule.”
The President expressed confidence in the contractor’s capacity to deliver ahead of time, noting that the current pace of work demonstrated readiness to accelerate once funding constraints were removed.
“The rate at which you are working, I know you can complete it ahead of schedule. Once this road is completed, it will open up the corridor and bring enormous advantage to Ghana,” he added.
President Mahama used the occasion to reiterate his administration’s commitment to continuing viable infrastructure projects inherited from the previous government.
He explained that several ongoing projects had been absorbed into the government’s flagship Big Push infrastructure programme to fast-track financing and ensure timely completion.
“We met projects that were already ongoing before we came into office, and I asked all contractors to continue. We are paying them so they can keep working,” he said, adding
“Some of the projects awarded by the previous government have now been placed under the Big Push so their financing can be fast-tracked.”
He stressed that the Takoradi–Agona Nkwanta road had now been classified as a strategic Big Push project, assuring the contractor of faster and more reliable payments going forward.
Under the Big Push initiative, President Mahama said government has set a 24-month completion window for most projects, with some contractors pledging to deliver ahead of schedule.
“Ghana is becoming a construction site, and I want Ghanaians to bear with the contractors.
After 24 months, we will all see the benefits of these massive investments.”
The President also mentioned other stalled infrastructure projects in the Western Region, including the Takoradi interchanges and several market redevelopment projects, which were halted following the debt exchange programme.
He said steps were being taken to resume work on such projects under improved financing arrangements. When completed, the Takoradi–Agona Nkwanta dualisation project is expected to ease traffic congestion, improve road safety, reduce travel time and strengthen Ghana’s position as a major trade and transit hub along the West African coast.
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