Road construction consultant, ING Kwabena Bempong, has praised the government’s strategy of clearing the right of way for the proposed Accra–Kumasi Expressway before the start of construction, describing it as a move that will accelerate the project.
His comments follow an update by the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), that more than half of the 175.6-kilometre expressway corridor has been cleared as part of preparatory works for the project.
Speaking on the development on Channel One TV’s The Point of View on Monday, July 13, Ing. Bempong said although completing the project within two years may be ambitious, it is achievable if the current approach is maintained.
“I know we’ve said one or two things in the past that it is ambitious, but not that it is not possible. Everything is possible,” he said.
He commended the Chief of Defence Staff and the military engineers for their work in clearing the corridor, saying their efforts would remove one of the biggest obstacles that typically delays road projects.
According to him, road contractors are often unable to make progress when structures within the project’s right of way remain uncleared.
Drawing from his experience on the Ashaiman–Akosombo Road project, he said delays were caused by properties that had not been removed despite efforts to compensate affected owners.
He noted that once the military intervened to clear the area, contractors were able to proceed with construction.
“Once the right of way is clear, no contractor is interested in just staying in one place. Once you are paying him, he wants to work,” he said.
Engineer Bempong explained that contractors have every incentive to complete projects on schedule, as prolonged delays increase costs and prevent them from deploying staff and equipment to other assignments.
He also observed that contractors are sometimes unfairly blamed by the public for delays that are beyond their control, particularly when projects begin before critical preparatory works have been completed.
He therefore welcomed the Ministry’s decision to prioritise clearing the right of way before construction starts, saying it would allow contractors to work efficiently without unnecessary interruptions.
According to him, once contractors have unrestricted access to the project corridor, they can properly plan and execute their work, increasing the likelihood of meeting project timelines.
The Ghana Armed Forces recently announced that 89.5 kilometres, representing 50.9% of the expressway corridor, had been cleared within nine weeks. The entire corridor-clearing exercise is expected to be completed within 20 weeks, ahead of the commencement of the main construction works.
