Upper West MPs praise Big Push road projects as contractors race to meet 2028 deadline

Members of Parliament from Upper West Region have expressed cautious optimism about President John Dramani Mahama's Big Push infrastructure initiative, following a ground inspection of major road projects in the region. The Parliamentary Caucus visit on August 20 revealed that whilst some contractors are delivering ahead of schedule, others face pressure to accelerate work to meet the January-February 2028 completion target.

The inspection focused on several road stretches, including the Mwankuri-Han and Han-Nandawwaala-Kuntulo-Jeffisi-Tumu sections, which have been awarded to five separate contractors. The visit aimed to assess progress directly on the ground and hold contractors accountable for timely delivery.

Outstanding performance draws praise

P&W Ghanem Limited emerged as the standout performer, drawing specific commendation from multiple MPs. The contractor's work on the Mwankuri-Han stretch—a 22-kilometre project—has progressed significantly, with prime seal and first seal layers largely completed. A second seal application remains to finish the three-layer surface dressing system.

Lawra MP Bede Ziedeng described the work as "neat" and "fast", whilst Wa West MP Supt. Retired Peter Lanchene Toobu praised the contractor for demonstrating "class", "speed" and "competence". CEO Caesar Ghanem confirmed confidence in completing the project before the January-February 2028 deadline, having already finished the fill formation stage on a separate 25-kilometre stretch covering sections from Nandom towards both Lawra and Lambussie.

However, Caucus Leader Dr. Sebastian Sandaare made clear that performance standards apply uniformly: contractors falling behind schedule should face pressure to accelerate, with implied consequences for non-performance.

Real impact on road users

The improvements are already transforming journey times for residents. Hudu Nafa, a regular traveller on the Wa-Tumuh route, reported reducing his trip time from four to five hours to just one hour and twenty minutes. Similarly, NHIA worker Nurudin Saani noted his journey to Wa has halved from four hours to two hours, validating the government's infrastructure promise.

These gains matter significantly for a region historically disadvantaged by poor road connectivity, affecting commerce, healthcare access, and emergency services. The transformation underscores why MPs emphasised the importance of quality and timeliness—Upper West residents have endured infrastructure deficits for decades.

Why it matters for Ghana

The Upper West road projects represent a critical test of the Big Push agenda's effectiveness in reaching Ghana's peripheral regions. Success here would strengthen the government's narrative on infrastructure delivery before the next election cycle. Conversely, failure would validate scepticism about flagship programmes actually reaching implementation.

The regional MPs' balanced approach—praising deliverables whilst demanding accountability—reflects broader Ghanaian concerns about contractors' reliability and project completion. The mixed progress across different contractors on identical timelines also highlights challenges in contractor capacity and supervision across the country.

However, maintenance of existing roads remains unaddressed. MP Anthony Sumah Mwinkaara flagged deteriorating sections on routes previously tarred, warning that constructing new infrastructure whilst neglecting existing assets creates long-term inefficiency. This tension between new construction and maintenance of existing assets is a persistent challenge for Ghana's infrastructure strategy.

The MPs' warning that decisive action will follow continued non-compliance signals that political oversight of the Big Push has teeth—a potentially important mechanism for improving contractor performance across Ghana's infrastructure projects more broadly.