The Ghana Institution of Engineering (GhIE) has called on the government to significantly increase investment in critical infrastructure and place greater emphasis on maintenance in the 2026 Mid-Year Budget Review.

Speaking on Joy FM's Super Morning Show on Thursday, 23 July, Dr Patrick-A. Bekoe, Vice President of the Public Accountability Committee of the Ghana Institution of Engineering, said the institution expects the Finance Minister to allocate more resources to the country's infrastructure sector when he presents the mid-year budget to Parliament.

His remarks follow the recent release of the Ghana Infrastructure Scorecard, which assessed the state of the country's infrastructure and awarded Ghana an overall score of 2.8 out of 5, equivalent to a D3 rating. According to Dr Bekoe, the findings underscore the urgent need for increased investment across key sectors.

Responding to what GhIE expects from the Finance Minister, Dr Bekoe said one of the major issues highlighted by the scorecard was the persistent inadequacy of funding for infrastructure development.

"One of the things that came out from our assessment was that funding within the infrastructure sector is quite limited," he said. "We look forward to the Minister of Finance injecting more money into infrastructure because infrastructure is the catalyst for our development. It is the foundation for achieving the economic growth and value we aspire to realise."

Dr Bekoe explained that the scorecard examined several critical sectors, including roads, energy, telecommunications, and water. He noted that these sectors have experienced inadequate funding over the past decade, affecting their development and long-term sustainability.

"We looked at the road sector, the energy sector, telecommunications, and the water sector. These are key areas where funding has been limited for the past 10 years. The level of investment required to improve these sectors has simply not been sufficient," he stated.

Beyond the need for increased capital investment, Dr Bekoe stressed the importance of maintaining existing infrastructure. He observed that Ghana's maintenance culture remains weak, leading to the premature deterioration of public assets and increasing the long-term cost of repairs and replacement.

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"Another issue highlighted by our report card is the limited funding allocated to maintenance. Our maintenance culture has been quite poor, and going forward, we expect maintenance to be prioritised across our various infrastructure assets," he said.

He emphasised that preserving existing infrastructure is just as important as developing new projects, arguing that regular maintenance would improve service delivery, enhance safety and maximise the lifespan of public investments.

Dr Bekoe said the Ghana Institution of Engineering believes increased infrastructure spending will support national development by improving productivity, facilitating trade, attracting investment and strengthening economic resilience.

"As a start, these are the key issues we expect to see reflected in the upcoming mid-year budget review," he concluded.

The finance minister is expected to present the 2026 mid-year budget review to Parliament later on Thursday, with stakeholders across various sectors keenly awaiting measures aimed at sustaining economic recovery while addressing critical infrastructure and development needs.