The Big Push road infrastructure initiative has emerged as a cornerstone of the Mahama administration’s renewed commitment to improving Ghana’s deteriorating road network.
According to the Minister for Roads and Highways, Hon. Kwame Governs Agbodza, a new national attitude towards road construction must be adopted—one that prioritizes urgency, quality, and accountability.
He stated that Ghanaians have become accustomed to the normalization of failed or abandoned road projects, an unacceptable trend the government now seeks to reverse.
The minister revealed that many communities across the country witness the start of road projects only for them to stall indefinitely without clear timelines or explanations.
To address this long-standing issue, the Big Push program is introducing a results-based framework aimed at delivering roads swiftly and with accountability at every stage.
“We [the Mahama administration] want to reset. Reset means that we need to change that narrative. So we are saying by the end of this month, August 2025, all Big Push projects must be on site, except one, which may not fully start, which is the Dambai bridge, because we need to do further investigation and detailed design before they can actually start building.”
Hon. Kwame Governs Agbodza
He noted that, however, initial preparatory activities for the bridge are expected to begin within the same period.
A key change under the new regime is the enforcement of strict timelines for all contractors. Each project is expected to be completed within 12 to 24 months, depending on the scope.
The minister clarified that the days of prolonged delays are over. Contractors found to be three months behind schedule will face immediate contract termination, a clause that will be explicitly written into all agreements.
The Big Push approach is deliberately designed to avoid the systemic failures that have plagued public works over the years. The government will now expect contractors to complete assigned projects—such as a 20-kilometre stretch of road—within 24 months or less.
Accordingly, the minister admonished that those unable or unwilling to meet this benchmark are advised not to bid, as the Ministry will no longer tolerate mediocrity or excuses.
No Excuses For Poor Road Delivery Under Big Push
Hon. Kwame Agbodza also made it clear that legal threats from underperforming contractors would not deter the Ministry’s resolve.
Accordingly, he indicated that contractors are not compelled to participate in the Big Push, but those who do must be ready to meet the set deadlines, work around the clock, and deliver high standards of road construction.
Additionally, the government is placing renewed focus on the quality and durability of roads. There has been a troubling pattern in which newly constructed roads, expected to last 15 years, begin to deteriorate within just six months.
This issue has been attributed to poor workmanship, ineffective supervision, and a general lack of professional oversight.
“Another problem we also noticed was a lack of effective supervision, either by third-party service providers like consultants, or our own staff from the various agencies. There’s evidence that almost all of those did not perform the way they should have.”
Hon. Kwame Governs Agbodza
To resolve this, the Ministry is tightening its supervisory protocols. Hon. Agbodza pointed to lapses among both third-party consultants and staff of government agencies responsible for monitoring projects.
Moving forward, all parties involved in supervising road works will be held accountable for ensuring that the lifespan of roads matches their design specifications.
According to Hon. Agbodza, contractors participating in the Big Push will also be required to demonstrate strong technical competence before being awarded projects. They must show proof of sufficient capacity and provide valid performance insurance.
The Ministry is cracking down on the practice where contractors secure insurance documents merely as a formality, with no expectation that those guarantees will be enforced.
In a stark departure from previous government attitudes, Hon. Agbodza warned that in the event of project failure or negligence, the Ministry will not hesitate to call in performance bonds or other financial guarantees.
He stressed that the state is ready to cash in on such instruments when contractors default, a move aimed at introducing real consequences into the procurement and execution of public infrastructure.
“Gone are the days when contractors go and just get an insurance firm to give them a certain paper, believing that we are not going to cash the insurance when things go wrong. Let me remind you, this time around, we will be very happy to cash it.”
Hon. Kwame Governs Agbodza
Furthermore, the government is determined to shield the program from political manipulation or favoritism.
With a firm stance on transparency and performance-based contracting, the Big Push initiative is positioned as a merit-driven reform of Ghana’s road sector.
The Roads and Highways Minister reiterated that the objective is not only to accelerate road construction but also to restore public confidence in government infrastructure projects.
Ghanaians, he said, deserve better roads delivered on time and built to last—and the Big Push is the mechanism to achieve that.
As the countdown to the August 2025 deadline continues, all eyes will be on the Ministry of Roads and Highways to see whether this bold promise can be transformed into tangible results across the country.
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