‘There’s a limit to the budget’ – Mahama explains phased Big Push projects

Editor's Note: An earlier version of this story has been updated to improve accuracy and clarity.

President John Dramani Mahama has said the government’s Big Push road projects will be implemented in phases, stressing that the government cannot undertake all the country’s road projects at once because of limits to the available budget.

Speaking on the first day of the two-day ‘Resetting Ghana Tour’ in the Upper West Region, where he inspected the Wa–Han Big Push road project, President Mahama said the government had to prioritise road projects as it works to address the country’s infrastructure needs.

“Everybody thinks that we can do all their roads at once. We cannot do that. There’s a limit to the budget that we have,” President Mahama said.

He explained that the government had prioritised major trunk roads, particularly those linking regional capitals, before moving on to feeder roads connecting communities and towns to the main road network.

“And so there’s Big Push Phase 1, we’re scoping Big Push Phase 2, and there’ll be a Big Push Phase 3,” he stated.

Trunk roads to be prioritised

President Mahama said the decision to prioritise trunk roads was deliberate, arguing that completing the major routes would provide easier access for residents from surrounding communities.

“As we go, we’ll move from the trunk roads to the other feeder roads that link up with the trunk roads,” he explained.

“But it’s good to do the trunk roads so that at least everybody can come from this constituency, join the main road, and have a good ride. After the trunk road is done, then we can now do the feeder roads into the communities and the towns.”

He said several other roads had been identified for development in the region and would be tackled progressively as the government proceeds with the various phases of the Big Push programme.

Mahama confident in road quality

President Mahama also expressed confidence in the quality of work being undertaken on the major road project under inspection.

He said he expected to return to the region the following year to commission the completed road.

“We’ll be here next year to come and commission the road, and I’m sure that the quality of the road will be good,” he said.

President Mahama further disclosed that the road would eventually be sealed with asphalt from Wa to Bolgatanga following the completion of the double-surface dressing.

“After we do the double-surface dressing, we will then seal the whole road with asphalt from Wa to Bolga, so that at least we know that for the next 30 years, the road will last and will require just very little maintenance,” he said.

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DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.