Ghana is to have a new administrative capital as part of measures to per­manently decongest the capital city of Accra, the President, John Dramani Mahama, revealed on Friday.

Consequently the government would be­gin the development of a new administrative city on the Accra Plains.

Selected government offices, the Presi­dent said would be relocated to the pro­posed new administrative hub which would be connected to Accra by an expressway and a railway line.

President John Mahama (inset) addressing
the chiefs and people at Dodowa

The President made this known in Dodowa on Friday on his ‘Thank You’ visit to express his appreciation to the region following his emphatic victory at the polls in December 2024.

“I believe that this new city will be lo­cated somewhere on the Accra plains from Bondase straddling between Greater Accra, Eastern and Volta regions.

“The city will stretch to the banks of the Volta River and there’ll be a railway link and express lane that will link the new city to Ac­cra,” President Mahama clarified.

According to President Mahama, “Accra is overstretched. The capital is facing mount­ing pressure from rapid urbanisation, traffic congestion, and inadequate infrastructure. It is time we think long-term and plan for a new city that can ease this burden.”

The President first mooted the idea of the new city in May 2024 in the run up to the general’s elections during a meeting with the European Union Ambassador and the EU Chamber of Commerce.

On road infrastructure for the region, President Mahama noted that he was aware of the daily frustration motorists faced as a result of the poor road network in the region.

“Under the big push, rehabilitation and construction of key roads corridors includ­ing the Adenta Dodowa road, the La-Teshie link, the Tema-Harbour-Motorway road, Apolonia-Oyibi road, Tema motorway expansion, and other feeder roads in the region are going to be fast tracked,” he said to applause.

Additionally, he said the Dawhenya-Afien­ya, Afienya-Dodowa, Doryumu-Dodowa, Ashaiman-Madina roads and expansion works on the Liberation road, Polo court- Elwak-Christ the King Corridor, and Ring Road-La-General Hospital roads would be carried out to ease the flow of traffic.

He announced the reintroduction of the national sanitation day to rid the capital city of filth.

Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives, President Mahama said would be responsible for the success of the national sanitation day event in their areas and the law requiring every household kept the frontage and the drains in front of their houses clean would be enforced and persons who fail to comply would be sanctioned appropriately.

“Cleanliness will become one of the key performance indicators for measuring the performance of MMDCEs, and will determine whether they remain in office or are removed. Greater Accra, as the face of Ghana must be clean, green and dignified,” President Mahama stressed.

He expressed appreciation to the chiefs and people of the Greater Accra Region for the confidence reposed in him with a second term.

President of the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs and Paramount Chief of the Nungua Traditional Area, Oboade Notse King Odaifio Welentsi III, said President Mahama must use his extensive experience in politics and governance to foster hope, constitute a listening government, promote national unity and drive socioeconomic development.

“Your acknowledgment of past mistakes which contributed to your defeat in 2016 reflects your integrity as a politician and a diplomat willing to learn from experience. Failing to heed these lessons will not only jeopardise your party’s chances in the next election but potentially tarnish your repu­tation permanently,” Oboade Notse King Odaifio Welentsi III counselled.