President John Dramani Mahama has announced that construction works on the new 198.7-kiliometre Accra-Kumasi Expressway is expected to begin before Christmas 2026.

He said US$2 billion was already available in a special account at the Bank of Ghana to finance the  project and stressed that the money had not been borrowed.

Speaking at Kwaso, near Ejisu, on Monday (September 14, 2026), during the handover of the cleared right-of-way by the Ghana Armed Forces to the government, President Mahama said the funds belonged to Ghanaian taxpayers.

He said the government would raise the funds to the full project cost by the end of 2026.

“This is our own money. We have not gone to borrow money from anywhere,” President Mahama said.

He said contractors would be paid promptly once construction started, adding that “all certificates presented by the contractor will be paid instantly.”

President Mahama said he would return to Kwaso before Christmas to formally cut the sod for construction of the project.

He described the occasion as “a special Christmas present for Nananom and this nation.”

The 48 Engineers Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) handled the clearance of the right-of-way of the entire stretch of the new expressway.

The regiment used 24 weeks to complete the exercise. 

In recognition of the work, President Mahama announced that the Engineers Regiment would be awarded the Order of the Companion of the Volta at the next National Honours ceremony to mark Ghana’s 70th independence anniversary.

President Mahama said companies interested in constructing the expressway would have four weeks to express interest.

After the period, he said, government would undertake a pre-qualification exercise before selecting a contractor.

He said the contractor selection process would be conducted in an “express manner”.

The expressway will be constructed as a six-lane highway.

President Mahama explained that slower vehicles would use the outer lanes while faster vehicles would use the inner lanes.

The project is expected to reduce travel time between Accra and Kumasi from between five and six hours to about two hours.

The road will have two toll interchanges, eight interchanges linking towns along the route and four rest stops.

It will also have roadside tow trucks and CCTV cameras to monitor reckless driving.

President Mahama disclosed that space had also been reserved within the expressway corridor for a future railway line between Accra and Kumasi.

He said the provision formed part of efforts to revive the country’s rail network.

The project is being managed by a special purpose vehicle, Accra Kumasi Expressway Limited, registered under the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund.

The company has its own chief executive, management team and governing board.

Beyond the Accra-Kumasi route, President Mahama outlined plans for a wider expressway network stretching from Aflao in the east to Elubo in the west.

He also mentioned plans for a northward expressway from Accra, alongside ongoing work on the Eastern and Western Corridors.

President Mahama said the Eastern Corridor was expected to be completed by next year.

President Mahama also announced an expanded role for the Ghana Armed Forces beyond the Accra-Kumasi project.

He said he had directed the Minister of Roads and Highways to formally incorporate the Engineers Regiment as a major subcontractor on the expressway project.

He said the regiment would also be deployed to clear the right-of-way for the Greater Accra Ring Road.

President Mahama further tasked the military with installing steel bridges across rivers and streams across the country.

He commended the ministers of Roads and Highways, Finance and Defence, as well as Brigadier General Wiafe and the Military High Command, for their roles in completing the clearance exercise.

He also acknowledged the chiefs, farmers and residents along the corridor who surrendered land and crops to pave the way for the project.