The Accra-Kumasi highway, the nation’s most vital transport corridor, now stands as a troubling metaphor for the state of our infrastructure – essential yet compromised.
It connects our political and commercial capitals and, by extension, facilitates the movement of goods, people and services between the country’s south and north. But, today, it is failing the very people who rely on it most.
The stretch between Amasaman and Nsawam is a particular source of anguish. Riddled with crater-like potholes and unfinished construction work, it poses a daily risk to commuters.
Drivers swerve to avoid deep gullies, passengers disembark to find alternative transport and delays stretch travel time from four to seven hours. This is not only an inconvenience; it is a national liability.
For transport operators, the consequences are costly – more fuel, more repairs and fewer trips. For small traders, the stakes are even higher.
Spoiled goods, missed markets and erratic schedules erode livelihoods already stretched thin. The cumulative effect is an invisible tax on productivity, borne disproportionately by ordinary Ghanaians and small businesses.
But beyond the economics lies an even more pressing concern: safety. The correlation between poor road conditions and Ghana’s alarming rate of road accidents is undeniable. In 2023 alone, over 14,000 crashes were recorded with more than 2,200 lives lost.
The Accra-Kumasi corridor linking the Greater Accra, Ashanti and Eastern Regions accounted for a significant portion of this toll.
Government efforts to dualise the road are not new. Promises have been made. Segments like the Kwafokrom-Apedwa dualisation have lingered for years without completion. What’s lacking is not vision but political will, transparency and accountability.
The Ministry of Roads and Highways must rise to the occasion – not only by completing the highway but also communicating clearly with the public. Contractors must be held to deadlines and the travelling public deserves regular updates. Ghana cannot afford a piecemeal approach to such a strategic asset.
Until action matches rhetoric, the Accra-Kumasi highway will remain a symbol of missed opportunities and mounting risks. In its current state, it undermines the very development it is meant to support.
We urge all stakeholders to treat this as not just another infrastructure project but a matter of national urgency.
