The Ranking Member of Parliament’s Select Committee on Roads and Transport and Member of Parliament for Akyem Swedru, Kennedy Nyarko Osei, has challenged the government’s claim that it spent nearly GH¢11 billion on the proposed Accra-Kumasi Expressway in 2025, describing the reported expenditure as “ridiculous and preposterous.”
In a statement shared on Facebook, the lawmaker questioned how such a significant amount could have been spent on a project that, according to him, has not yet reached the construction phase.
Mr. Nyarko Osei argued that the actual engineering and civil works for the expressway are yet to be awarded to a contractor, making the reported expenditure difficult to justify.
According to him, the government, particularly the Ministry of Finance, owes Ghanaians a comprehensive explanation regarding the expenditure captured under the project.
“I think the government and the Finance Minister should explain to the good people of this country how these monies were expended, since it is the Finance Minister who controls the spending for all these government’s flagship programmes,” he stated.
The Akyem Swedru MP maintained that the expenditure raises serious concerns about transparency and accountability in the management of public funds.
He further pointed out that preparatory activities on the project remain incomplete, noting that the military is still clearing portions of the right of way, an indication that the project has not advanced to the stage where such an amount could reasonably have been spent.
“How do you say you have spent almost GH¢11 billion on a project which the military is even yet to complete the clearing of the entire right of way?” he queried.
Mr. Nyarko Osei also demanded clarity on the beneficiaries of the alleged payments, asking government to disclose which contractors, consultants, or agencies received the funds and when the payments were made.
“Which contractor or agency were these monies paid to, and when exactly were these monies paid to them?” he asked.
His comments come amid heightened public scrutiny over government expenditure on major infrastructure projects and renewed calls for greater transparency in the use of public resources.
The government is yet to respond publicly to the concerns raised by the Ranking Member regarding the reported expenditure on the Accra-Kumasi Expressway.
By 1960news.com
