TV’s Face to Face on Tuesday, December 9, Mr. Kwakye Ofosu explained that the government deliberately opted not to issue mobilisation fees upfront, citing previous situations where contractors received mobilisation but failed to deliver on projects.

However, he assured that contractors will be paid promptly once they complete work and submit certified certificates.

“We have said that we will not pay mobilisation fees, because there are instances where contractors have been paid mobilisation [fees], and they have not done the work. However, if a contractor raises a certificate after doing work, and it is certified to reflect the actual work done, within a matter of 30 days, the certificates will be honoured.”

He added: “And the Finance Minister [Dr Ato Forson] has made that very clear. So those who claim that Big Push is not being done because mobilisation has not been done are clearly wrong on that one. This year alone, another GHC30 billion has been allocated for Big Push roads to be contracted. Because roads are one of the biggest problems we have in this country.”

Mr. Kwakye Ofosu emphasised that the government has committed significant resources to roads, noting that at least GHC43 billion has been earmarked for the Big Push since the administration took office—GHC13.9 billion for 2025 and GHC30 billion for 2026.

“One of the major campaign promises that President John Dramani Mahama put before the people of Ghana was a Big Push agenda. And since we have been in power, at least GHC43 billion has been earmarked for that expenditure. GHC13.9 billion in 2025 and GHC30 billion in 2026.

“Indeed, as I speak to you, there are about 30 different roads that are at various stages of construction. Some of those roads are roads that we inherited, that the NPP, as usual, left no money for, did not leave any funding mechanism for. So that has been packaged and added to new roads that are being constructed,” he said.

He further disclosed that the Finance Minister has close to a billion dollars set aside specifically for these infrastructure commitments.

Addressing specific projects, Mr. Kwakye Ofosu highlighted the Accra–Kumasi road as a major national concern, describing it as a long-standing bottleneck that has become increasingly unsafe.

“The Accra-Kumasi road has been a long-standing bottleneck. It has become a death trap. Every now and then, there was some digging or some construction going on. But never gets completed. The President has stated that those roads will be continued.

“However, it has become necessary because of the constraints on those roads and the dangers that they pose. And the number of lives that are being lost daily. It has become necessary to open another corridor, which is shorter.

“It is less than 200 kilometres, 197 kilometres. But this will be a modern expressway that will have facilities that will aid rapid movements between Accra and Kumasi, with various other facilities along the stretch.

“And every country that has developed has done so by creating expansive infrastructure that facilitates the movement of goods and people.”