REVEALED: Akufo Addo's 10,875km of roads constructed false

During the State of the nation's address on 30th March, his excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo stated that his government has constructed some 10,875 kilometers of new roads in the last five years.

“Some ten thousand, eight hundred and seventy-five (10,875) kilometres of new roads have been constructed in these five (5) years. Let me mention that yesterday, it was my honour and great pleasure to have commissioned the Tamale Interchange, the first such interchange in the northern sector of our country, which the people of Tamale celebrated. I considered it to be a most satisfying birthday present,” he said.

The statement has since generated conversation among citizens and journalists over who are the beneficiaries of these roads. We put together some information to inform the public about this claim.

Ministry's information

There is no centralized national database that details the progress of road constructions across the country, covering the tenures of all presidents in the fourth republic.


 
The Ministry of Roads and Highways, the agency responsible for monitoring and evaluating road infrastructure and financing, construction and maintenance activities in the sector, has provided a series of reports that highlight its work in the sector since the Akufo-Addo government assumed office in 2017.

The ministry, in a report on its website highlighting developments in the roads sector between January 2017 and February 2022, indicated that the total length of new road constructions, asphaltic overlays, reconstructions, and all other road development projects were 4,263.37 kilometers.




The Ranking Member on the Transport Committee of Parliament, Governs Kwame Agbodza said the claim was false and also claimed that the government can only boast of 68 kilometers of new roads constructed.

“The only thing that you claim has been done is 68.5km and the asphaltic overlays that are ongoing can easily be 1,500 km,” he said.