President John Dramani Mahama has said the government’s Big Push road projects will be implemented in phases due to limited financial resources.

Speaking on the first day of the two-day 'Resetting Ghana Tour' in the Upper West Region, where he inspected the Wa–Han Big Push road project, President Mahama said the government could not address all the country’s road infrastructure needs at once due to budgetary constraints.

He explained that the government had prioritised major trunk roads, particularly those linking regional capitals, before moving to feeder roads connecting communities and towns to the main road network.

“Everybody thinks that we can do all their roads at once. We cannot do that. There’s a limit to the budget that we have,” President Mahama said.

According to him, the phased approach forms part of the government’s broader strategy to gradually address the country’s road infrastructure deficit.

“And so there’s Big Push Phase 1, we’re scoping Big Push Phase 2, and there’ll be a Big Push Phase 3,” he stated.

President Mahama said the government’s decision to prioritise trunk roads was deliberate, as the major routes would provide easier access for residents from surrounding communities.

“As we go, we’ll move from the trunk roads to the other feeder roads that link up with the trunk roads,” he explained.

“But it’s good to do the trunk roads so that at least everybody can come from this constituency, join the main road, and have a good ride. After the trunk road is done, then we can now do the feeder roads into the communities and the towns.”

He said several other roads have been identified for development in the region and would be tackled progressively as resources become available.

President Mahama also expressed confidence in the quality of work being undertaken on the major road project under inspection.

He said he expected to return to the region the following year to commission the completed road.

“We’ll be here next year to come and commission the road, and I’m sure that the quality of the road will be good,” he said.

Mahama further disclosed that the road would eventually be sealed with asphalt from Wa to Bolgatanga following the completion of the double-surface dressing.

“After we do the double-surface dressing, we will then seal the whole road with asphalt from Wa to Bolga, so that at least we know that for the next 30 years, the road will last and will require just very little maintenance,” he said.