A heated exchange unfolded in Parliament on Wednesday as Roads and Highways Minister, Kwame Governs Agbodza, clashed with his predecessor, Francis Asenso-Boakye, over the government’s ambitious Big Push road infrastructure programme.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament, former Minister Asenso-Boakye criticised the initiative as politically driven rather than economically strategic.
“The greatest of respect, this so much talked about push is neither balanced nor big, nor strategic,” Asenso-Boakye declared.
“I say this because I believe strongly that it’s just a political programme rather than an economically efficient programme. One, Mr Speaker, the list of programmes, of roads is heavily skewed towards certain regions in the country, completely neglecting Greater Accra and the Ashanti Region.”
He elaborated, saying: “For me, that is not fair to the country, that is not strategic because you build roads where there are human beings, a lot of human, densely populated people, communities. You build roads which will connect economic centres that will drive economic development and economic growth. Basic economic theory teaches us that when resources are scarce, when we are in financial constraints, we prioritise, and that’s exactly what I’m saying. If my opponents don’t understand this, I don’t know what else they will understand.”
In response, Minister Agbodza strongly defended the government’s approach, disputing the former Minister’s claims and maintaining that road development under the Big Push is being implemented nationwide.
“You issued a statement saying that we are saying that President Akufo-Addo, well, we are trying to rubbish President Akufo-Addo’s record of 10,800 kilometres. You were not here. He was standing here and said, ‘We have built 10,800 kilometres of new roads’ and he was doing, asked like that,” Agbodza argued.
“I fact-checked him. What the President said here was untrue. He never built 10,800 kilometres of new roads.”
He also questioned Asenso-Boakye’s regional focus. “My brother, you see, you have been a road minister for the Republic of Ghana. Is it just a small advice? The road minister of the Republic of Ghana doesn’t sit well where all your examples appear as if you haven’t been to any other place in the country. It doesn’t look well.”
While acknowledging the high traffic volumes in Accra and Kumasi, Agbodza stressed the importance of inclusive development.
“Yes, I agree, Accra and Kumasi have the biggest volume of traffic in the country. But when you give the impression that just because that is the biggest volume, what about the farmer growing yam in Yendi? Don’t we have to take a road there to convey the yam for us to consume in Accra?”
“So you think that just because there are more people in Accra and Kumasi, we should spend all our money in Accra and Kumasi?”
He added: “I went around the 16 regions. When I got to the Oti Region, there was no active road project going on. Is that fair? Is that fair? Guess what? Reset means that we are taking road infrastructure to every part of the country.”
“And if you don’t like it, you can do whatever you like. When you come back, you can decide not to take road there. We shall take the road there everywhere we like.”
Meanwhile, Parliament has approved a government request to dedicate all oil revenues and mineral royalties to fund the Big Push programme. This follows a report by the joint committees on Budget and Finance on multi-year commitments for selected road projects under the GH¢13.8 billion Big Push Phase One.
The government intends to invest approximately GH¢70 billion in the Big Push by 2028.
Minority Leader Afenyo-Markin acknowledged the government’s commitment but cautioned against exaggeration.
“If somebody says that I am aggregating, putting everything together under my administration, and I’ve done 13,000 kilometres — and as a result of that, even pothole patching has been included — what is wrong with it?”
He also raised concerns about regional equity: “Because you and I know that a lot of our roads are impassable because of their state. So if you fix them and you’re adding that to your achievements, there’s nothing wrong with that — with respect. And you agree with me.”
“The concern of the minority has to do with the uneven distribution of these roads. I have seen the list. Quite a number of them.”
He noted the importance of recognising continuity in governance: “Sometimes, we the politicians, we try to pretend. But the reality is always the reality. Some of these roads were started under Akufo-Addo.”
“They have not been completed. You are continuing. That is governance. And I agree. I will not stand here and critique you for that.”
However, Afenyo-Markin challenged the branding of the programme: “But the impression should not be created as though it is a certain ‘Big Push.’ Big Push? Big Push? What are you pushing?”
Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga countered with strong support for the programme: “I believe that this ‘Big Push’ project is not the first time we are doing roads, but it’s an expression of this government’s commitment to make a major dent in the road infrastructure deficit of this country.”
“We plan to do more. He was asking what we are pushing. We’re pushing on all the roads of this country. That’s where we’re going to push.”
Looking ahead, he said: “When we finally finish fixing the financial mess that we have inherited, and we sort out the debt that we have inherited, and we begin to make significant savings, I can assure you that your complaint about discrimination will be addressed.”
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