President John Dramani Mahama has said that the launch of the $10-billion ‘Big Push’ project will make the whole of Ghana a construction site.
John Mahama highlighted that GH¢30 billion had been allocated in next year’s budget to support the ‘Big Push’ infrastructure project.
Speaking at the sod cutting for the redevelopment works on the 117-kilometre stretch from Atimpoku in the Eastern Region to the Volta Region towns of Asikuma through Anyrawasi, Ho and Denu to Aflao, John Mahama stated, “The whole of Ghana is going to become a construction site.
“Today, we are delivering that bouncing baby, Big Push. The Volta Region has had some of the most neglected, abandoned roads in the country, and year in, year out, the chiefs have cried for repair and maintenance.”
He added, “The ‘Big Push’ is a concerted effort to bridge our infrastructure gap and propel Ghana towards sustainable development.
This is not just about asphalt and concrete; it is about building the foundations for a stronger economy, improved connectivity, and a better quality of life for all Ghanaians”.
President Mahama also revealed that priority has been given to Ghanaian construction companies.
He added, “We have given priority to Ghanaian contracting companies because we believe that Ghanaian companies can do as well as foreign companies.
“Once you have First Sky on the road, you can rest assured they will do a good job,” the President added.
Additionally, President John Dramani Mahama has said his government’s flagship Big Push infrastructure programme is for competent and well-resourced contractors, not wheelbarrow contractors.
According to John Mahama, some friends have approached him to secure contracts under the scheme, but he made it clear to them that the project was designed to accelerate large-scale national infrastructure projects.
Speaking at the official launch of the programme at Afienya in the Greater Accra region on Tuesday, September 16, John Mahama stated, “There are a few wheelbarrow contractors who have come to me saying, ‘Oh, I hear they are distributing projects under the Big Push.
I want one.’ I say, ‘My friend, this is not for wheelbarrow contractors.’ You are my friend, but I won’t give it to you because it is not meant for wheelbarrow contractors,” he stated.
President Mahama further added that every region in Ghana will benefit from his government’s flagship Big Push infrastructure programme.
The president explained that the project is designed to revolutionise Ghana’s road network and improve national connectivity.
According to him, the Big Push programme is aimed at opening economic opportunities, improving food distribution networks, and making travel between regions and districts easier.
John Mahama added, “From January 7, we have been designing road projects across the length and breadth of the country. The Big Push touches all 16 regions of the country. Every region is going to benefit from its share of the Big Push programme”.
“Our priority was to take roads that connect one regional capital to another. We believe that it should be easy for people to travel from one capital to another, for example, from Accra to Ho, or Accra to Cape Coast,” he explained.
He further revealed that the second priority is roads linking district capitals. “We have 261 districts in Ghana, and we believe that districts that are close should have good roads linking their district capitals to each other”.
President Mahama added that the third priority is road infrastructure in food-producing and industrial manufacturing areas.
“We selected all the major food-growing areas in the country, looked at the roads in those areas, and added them to the Big Push,” he added.
Also, Governs Kwame Agbodza, the Minister for Roads and Highways, has promised Ghanaians that the results of the newly launched Big Push road project will be there for everyone to see.
The road minister described the Big Push as a bold intervention that goes beyond politics.
According to Governs Kwame Agbodza, the former Akufo-Addo government left a 40 billion Ghana cedis in debt to contractors, yet, going round the 16 regions, it was difficult to see what the money was spent on.
Speaking at the sod-cutting ceremony on Tuesday, Mr Agbodza stated, “Mr President, if you come to the Ministry of Roads and Highways, we owe probably 40 billion Ghana cedis in debt to contractors”.
“But when we went round the country, the 16 regions, it was difficult to see what the money was spent on.”
He added, “Despite all that, Mr President, you made a bold commitment to institute an intervention that will go down in history as the president that gave the biggest dose of intervention at a single time on our roads”.
“The Big Push is not a campaign promise; it is a bold intervention by your government.”
Mr Agbodza further assured, “When we say we can do this project within four months, we mean business. The people of Greater Accra and Ga-Dangbe, don’t be worried”.
“The contractor that is on this stretch, I believe, can do this project in less than 24 months.”
“We shall implement Big Push, and the results will be there for everyone to see,” he confidently added.
See the post below:
Apologies to Ghanaians, but with the Big Push launch, the whole country will become a construction site pic.twitter.com/1bYlUGBw71
— DailyGraphic GraphicOnline (@Graphicgh) September 17, 2025