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Francis Asenso-Boakye, the former Minister of Roads and Highways, has fired the National Democratic Congress (NDC) majority in parliament to listen to sense and stop heckling him.
Asenso-Boakye was delivering an address surrounding government plans to construct a six-lane expressway on the Accra–Kumasi road.
According to Asenso-Boakye, the Mahama government has abandoned the completion of bypasses that could potentially cut travel time between Accra and Kumasi.
He asserted that the six-lane expressway, totally different from the existing intervention.
Speaking on the floor of parliament on Thursday, July 31, Asenso-Boakye stated, “Mr Speaker, what stops the government from completing these bypasses that will reduce the travel time from Accra to Kumasi by three hours?
Now the minister is saying that they are going to construct a six-lane expressway, totally different from the existing intervention. First of all, the president, with the greatest of respect he was in Kumasi a couple of weeks ago”.
Asenso-Boakye furiously added, “Will you listen to me? Listen to sense, wisdom. Listen to wisdom. Listen to words of wisdom and stop the heckling”.
Asenso Boakye was later cautioned by the Speaker of Parliament over his “listen to sense”. The Speaker ordered Asenso-Boakye to retract those comments; he later clarified his remarks before withdrawing the comment.
“What I mean is that they should listen to words of wisdom… Mr. Speaker, I am being distracted; they are not allowing me to flow because they know I am making a good point.
Mr Speaker, I withdraw ‘listening to sense.’ Thank you very much,” the former roads minister stated.
However, Governs Kwame Agbodza, the Minister for Roads and Highways, has cooked Asenso Boakye.
Hon Agbodza expressed frustration with the minority of their constant criticism and opposition to the initiative, despite the government’s renewed commitment and significant efforts to complete stalled projects started under the Akufo-Addo Bawumia administration.
Speaking on the floor of parliament, Governs Kwame Agbodza stated, “What is your problem? We said we are completing and expanding roads, what is wrong with that? Let’s come to Accra. I agree that the exit and entry points are very bad.
The Ofankor road, as of the time you were leaving office, the contractor had raised a certificate of about $77 million you didn’t pay him you left. Now people are doing a demonstration just this week, we paid that contractor about GHC300 million so that he can continue the work”.
He added, Why are you recommending us for that? We are saying that since we do not have a dedicated fund, we are putting that project as an additional burden on the big push, and you don’t like it?
Go Kasoa Winneba, of course, the money has run out, the worst that will happen is that the contractor will leave the site. President Mahama does not want any of those projects to be abandoned. He said, carry it on additionally, Big Push Project, you don’t like that? What are you talking about here?”
The road minister further recounted when he told the former road minister that DHM, which was awarded the motorway to Central University, were not a construction firm but a management firm.
He added, “I heard you talking about the motorway to Central University. Hon former minister, you and I know that when you came to this house to give that contract to DHM, I suggested here that DHM was not a construction firm, was a management firm. It was only last year that the company bought a construction firm, which is why they were struggling to do the road.
“Phase one is what they are struggling to do; phase two is not even an NPP-initiated project. It is not under contract, and we are carrying it on as a Big Push project. You should understand these things”.
Kwame Agbodza further emphasised that the John Mahama-led NDC government are not playing It is not politics with road projects.
“I agree with you, you did your best, but the contractor was not listening to you because maybe you are afraid of them. I say if you are a contractor, Ghanaian or foreign, if you breach our laws, we will deal with you”, he added.
The road minister further clarified that the Big Push project is not only about a road project, but also a special vehicle to address the interconnectivity.
Agbodza added, “Big push is not only the road project that we are doing, I want to say this to all our compatriots around the country, big push is a special vehicle to address the interconnectivity of our regions to our National capital.
The Accra–Kumasi highway remains one of Ghana’s busiest transit roads; however, there is a growing road safety crisis.
Many Ghanaians have been calling on the government to have a look at the road, as it has been a graveyard for many accidents over the years.
Meanwhile, Ghana recently sadly lost 16 young people on the Atwidie–Juaso stretch of the Accra–Kumasi Highway some weeks ago.
In addition, Member of Parliament for Mpraeso Constituency, Davis Ansah Opoku, on the floor of parliament, has called for the immediate dualization of the Praso to Kumasi stretch.
He stated, “Every weekend I travel on that road, and every trip feels like a prayer. Our roads have become death traps. This is a national emergency, and we must treat it as such”.
“This is not just about one accident or one constituency. It is about protecting Ghanaian lives. Road safety is not politics; it is about saving families from needless pain,” Hon. Opoku emphasised.
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