The Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwame Governs Agbodza, has challenged claims by the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia government that it constructed 10,800 kilometres of new roads, saying the figures were not supported by data, budgetary records, or visible infrastructure on the ground.
Speaking on State of Affairs on Monday, January 26, 2026, with Joshua Kodjo Mensah, Mr. Agbodza emphasized that roads are tangible public assets whose existence cannot be obscured by rhetoric.
“Fortunately, roads are not abstract things. When roads are built, everybody can see them,” he said.
The Minister recalled comments made during a past State of the Nation Address, in which the former President stated that his government had built 10,800 kilometres of new roads—a claim Mr. Agbodza described as misleading.
“I remember drawing his attention to the fact that the words he used were, ‘we have built 10,800 kilometres of new roads.’ To put it lightly, that was not right. The data did not support that,” he stated.
According to Mr. Agbodza, the Ministry later attempted to justify the figure by broadening its definition to include pothole patching, roadside weeding, and other maintenance works—a clarification that he said fundamentally altered the meaning of the original claim.
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“That should not have been misconstrued to mean that 10,800 kilometres of roads were built, because that never happened,” he said.
He further explained that the construction of such an extensive road network would have had clear financial implications reflected in national budgets and public expenditure records.
“The cost of building 10,800 kilometres of roads would reflect in the budget because such projects are paid for with public funds. Nothing supports that claim,” Mr. Agbodza added.
The Roads Minister said the current condition of roads across the country further contradicts the assertion, noting that many still require significant attention.
He suggested that public dissatisfaction with such inconsistencies may have influenced the outcome of the 2024 general elections.
“Some Ghanaians may say the verdict on that statement was the result of the 2024 elections,” he noted.
Mr. Agbodza said the new administration, led by President John Dramani Mahama, is focused on addressing longstanding infrastructure challenges nationwide.
“Now a government has come into power with President Mahama at the helm, and we are ready to do what is expected of us to address the issues in every corner of the country,” he said.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh/Barbara Yeboah
