The Minister of Roads and Highways, Hon. Governs Kwame Agbodza has inaugurated the governing Board of the newly restructured Road Maintenance Trust Fund (RMTF), simultaneously issuing a stringent warning against the misuse of public resources.

Addressing the new members, the Minister stressed that the RMTF exists solely for improving Ghana’s ailing road network, not for personal or political patronage, asserting that the new statutory fund must be protected against all forms of corruption.

The inauguration comes at a critical time for the sector, as Minister Agbodza disclosed that the new fund inherits a massive financial distress.

“Certificates pending payment to road contractors are currently in excess of GHS 8 billion, while the projected accruals available for the fund for the year 2025 are estimated to be not more than GHS 2.5 billion”
Hon. Governs Kwame Agbodza, Minister of Roads and Highways

Hon. Agbodza explained that the government is fully aware of the massive debt and is working to retire the GHS 8 billion obligation gradually as they enter the new year.

Hon. Kwame Governs Agbodza, Minister for Roads and Highways

The restructuring of the former road fund into the statutory RMTF was initiated under President John Dramani Mahama’s leadership specifically to “upscale accountability,” and ensure collective oversight. This new framework allows Parliament to have a direct say in how resources are allocated and utilized.

In delivering his inaugural charge, Hon. Agbodza did not mince words regarding the expected ethical conduct of the members, who include engineers, surveyors, traditional leaders, and representatives from the Attorney General’s Department and Parliament.

“It is not a fund to fix your friends. It is not a fund to make your family happy. It is a fund to fix the roads in our country,” he warned, setting a clear boundary for the Board’s operations.

The Minister revealed that the Ministry deliberately held back from spending the 2025 allocation until the new board was in place to ensure transparency and prevent unilateral decision-making, emphasizing the urgent need to change the narrative surrounding the management of road funds.

Backbone of Road Maintenance

In addition to fighting corruption, Hon. Agbodza mandated the new Board to shift payment priorities toward Small and Medium Contractors (SMCs).

He described these SMCs as the backbone of routine road maintenance, responsible for critical work like weeding the roadside, desilting culverts, and patching potholes – activities that keep communities safe and accessible.

Despite their vital importance, the Minister lamented that SMCs receive the least allocation, with many not having received payments for services rendered since as far back as 2019. He affirmed that this unacceptable status quo must end under the new trust fund structure.

“We would encourage you to prioritize paying SMCs as against paying big contractors,” he affirmed, expressing optimism that many of them may finally receive payments before Christmas, demanding that this narrative of neglect must change.

To manage the inherited GHS 8 billion debt and ensure fairness, Hon. Agbodza announced that an independent audit is currently underway to validate the contractor certificates that have been submitted for retirement.

According to the Minister, this measure is deemed necessary to ensure that only legitimate claims are honored, preventing past disparities where contractors who secured court judgments were able to drain the fund, leaving other districts and deserving small contractors without resources.

The Minister clarified that the RMTF’s function is strictly financial; it only provides payment for works completed by agencies under the Ministry of Roads and Highways, and it “does not award projects.”

This distinction is critical to ensure the fund remains focused on its payment mandate and the equitable distribution of maintenance resources across all constituencies in Ghana.

Hon. Agbodza concluded by expressing the high hopes of Ghanaians that the inauguration of the new Board, coupled with the renewed focus on transparency and prioritizing small businesses, will finally lead to sustainable improvement in the national road infrastructure.