The state of Ghana’s roads and transport infrastructure remains a subject of heated debate, especially in the context of development, maintenance, and sustainability.
The MP for Wassa East Constituency Hon. Isaac Adjei Mensah has celebrated his Victory for his re-election. However, as a Ranking Member of the Roads and Transport Committee, he slammed President Akufo-Addo over the poor road network system in the country.
He addressed key concerns about the current state of Road Network in Ghana and the path forward.
Hon. Adjei Mensah recounted his transition from the corporate world to public service. He recounted;
“At the time that I came into active politics, I was in the mining sector as an HR director for close to 20 years. I resigned because of the issue of rural development, my people’s development was a factor.”
Hon. Isaac Adjei Mensah MP -elect for Wassa East Constituency
His tenure as Deputy Minister for Roads and Highways under President John Mahama provided him with an opportunity to serve and deliver impactful projects.
Among these were cocoa roads and the Domama road, which he described as essential for connecting communities.
He emphasized the lack of maintenance for existing roads. He lamented;
“Even those that were constructed by President Mahama are in a deplorable state. The Ateiku- Daboase road is just messy. It’s worrying to see the extent of investment being left to deteriorate.”
Hon. Isaac Adjei Mensah MP -elect for Wassa East Constituency
Meanwhile, the Akufo-Addo administration has touted its achievements in road construction, claiming to have completed over 10,000 kilometers of roads as part of its “Year of Roads” initiative. He emphasized;
“When we went to parliament and challenged the assertion to provide evidence, they brought details that were yet to be validated. Most of them are projections, The issue is that if you check through the Fourth Republic, the least-performing president as far as road construction is concerned is President Akufo-Addo. As I speak to you today, we have in his credit 6,977 kilometers constructed sealed – as at the time President Mahama was exiting office, he had constructed, 8,180 kilometers of roads.’’
Hon. Isaac Adjei Mensah MP -elect for Wassa East Constituency
Hon. Adjei Mensah also pointed out that the government has failed to conduct a road condition survey since 2017, which he believes undermines the credibility of its claims.
“Basic maintenance, such as pothole patching and roadside slashing, these are basics, you don’t need to spend so much money but it’s been neglected.’’
Hon. Isaac Adjei Mensah MP -elect for Wassa East Constituency
He added that funds from the Road Fund, which were supposed to be used for maintenance, have not been effectively utilized.
The Controversy Over Toll Booths
Hon. Adjei Mensah was equally critical of the government’s decision to scrap the toll system, calling it “the most irresponsible decision” made by the Akufo-Addo administration.
He recounted how toll booths, which once generated significant revenue, are now abandoned and infested with rats and snakes.
“We talked about it; parliament has talked about it. Even the speaker of parliament requested the minister to withdraw, but he did not.’’
Hon. Isaac Adjei Mensah MP -elect for Wassa East Constituency
Hon. Adjei Mensah also dismissed claims of reinstating tolls, noting that no tangible steps have been taken to reintroduce the system.
Hon. Adjei Mensah expressed optimism about the future, emphasizing that the next Mahama administration would address these challenges.
He also highlighted the need for transparency and accountability in the sector, particularly through proper documentation and road condition surveys. He noted;
“We will want to know the state of our roads in terms of good, fair, and poor conditions. There are standards in the road industry.’’
Hon. Isaac Adjei Mensah MP -elect for Wassa East Constituency
Hon. Adjei Mensah concluded by stressing the importance of maintenance stating;
“The next President Mahama’s administration will fix that, in resetting Ghana, all these things would be clear. There is a commitment by President Mahama that all projects would be continued.’’
Hon. Isaac Adjei Mensah MP -elect for Wassa East Constituency
The state of Ghana’s roads and transport sector remains contentious, with accusations of neglect and inflated claims of achievements dominating the discourse.
Hon. Adjei Mensah’s detailed critique of the challenges highlights a roadmap for improvement under a potential Mahama administration.
As Ghana moves forward, a transparent, accountable, and consistent approach to road development and maintenance will be essential in bridging the gaps in the sector.
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