The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has completed the clearing of the entire 175.6-kilometre right-of-way for the proposed Accra-Kumasi Expressway, achieving the milestone in 19 weeks, one week ahead of the estimated 20-week schedule.
The completion marks a major milestone in preparations for the construction of the six-lane, bidirectional expressway, which is expected to become one of Ghana’s most significant transport infrastructure projects.
The Road and Highways MinisterKwame Governs Agbodza, described the achievement as a successful completion of the military’s assignment, declaring: “Mission accomplished.” he declared on X
He said the completion of the corridor brings the country closer to the commencement of actual construction works on the expressway.
The right-of-way clearing operation officially commenced on April 23, 2026, with GAF engineering units deployed to clear and strip the designated corridor. At the initial stages, the military deployed four work gangs operating along different sections of the route, including night operations, to meet the demanding schedule.
The 120-metre-wide corridor passes through parts of the Greater Accra, Eastern and Ashanti Regions and is intended to provide a new, modern route linking Ghana’s two largest commercial centres.
The military’s assignment was considered a critical preparatory component of the project because the cleared corridor is required for feasibility studies, detailed engineering design and subsequent construction activities.
Funding secured for major construction
The achievement comes as government continues preparations to secure financing for the main construction phase.
Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson announced in July that US$1.7 billion had been deposited into a dedicated Accra-Kumasi Expressway account at the Bank of Ghana. He said the funds had been ring-fenced and would only be utilised after the award of the main construction contract.
More recently, Dr Forson announced that government expected to secure the full funding required for the project by the end of 2026, stressing that the project would not be financed through borrowing.
Government has previously explained that proceeds from the Annual Budget Funding Amount (ABFA) and mineral royalties were earmarked in the 2025 Budget for the project.
The funds were transferred into a dedicated Bank of Ghana account and, according to the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department, had not been paid to a contractor or spent on construction works.
The government is implementing the project through Accra-Kumasi Expressway Limited, a special-purpose vehicle established through the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF).
A flagship Big Push project
The Accra-Kumasi Expressway forms part of the government’s Big Push Infrastructure Programme and is intended to provide a faster and more efficient connection between the capital and the Ashanti Region.
According to the 2026 Budget, the new alignment will reduce the current travel distance between Accra and Kumasi from about 250 kilometres to 198.7 kilometres. Government expects the project to significantly reduce travel time, lower transportation costs and create more than 30,000 direct and indirect jobs during construction.
The proposed expressway will include major interchanges, bridges, service areas and modern tolling infrastructure. It is also expected to support industrial parks, logistics hubs and other economic activities along the corridor.
The government says the broader objective is not only to improve road transport between Accra and Kumasi but also to strengthen national connectivity, facilitate the movement of goods and people, reduce congestion on existing routes and support Ghana’s long-term economic transformation.
With the 175.6-kilometre right-of-way now cleared, attention is expected to shift to the completion of feasibility studies and detailed engineering designs, followed by procurement and the award of the main construction contract.
The successful completion of the military’s preparatory assignment therefore represents an important step toward the government’s vision of a modern expressway linking the southern and middle parts of Ghana.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
