President John Mahama, on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, cut the sod for the reconstruction of the Wenchi-Bole-Sawla-Wa Highway.

The project, which is under the Government's Big Push national infrastructure development programme, covers 195 kilometers and is carefully divided into seven lots to facilitate concurrent execution and early completion.

When completed, the project, which is the Northwestern corridor highway, will facilitate the free flow of traffic from Wenchi in the Bono Region through Sawla in the Savannah Region to Wa in the Upper West Region and cross Ghana's land border to the Sahelian states like Burkina Faso and Mali.

President Mahama, in his remarks, said the asphalt project would include complete pavement reconstruction and widening, drainage and culvert upgrades to handle heavy rains, asphalt and concrete surfacing.

He said they would also along the way improve the town roads such as Bamboi, Banda-NKwanta and Tenga.

He noted that when the road reaches Bole Township, it would become a dual carriageway.

He said construction was supposed to take 24 months, but the contractors had assured him that they would be finished before the 24 months.

The construction companies assigned to construct portions of the highway include Chinese Ghanaian companies, CIWE, Polychangda Overseas Engineering Company, China Railway No.5 Engineering Company and one of Ghana's best road construction companies, Maripoma Limited.

President Mahama noted that these contractors had been selected for their proven competence and integrity.

"And let me emphasise, this government will not tolerate delays or shoddy work. We expect compliance with the highest technical standards, environmental protection and transparent oversight by the Ghana Highway Authority and the Ministry of Roads and Highways," President Mahama said.

President Mahama reiterated that when completed, travel time between Wenchi to Wa would be cut by more than 50 per cent, while vehicle operating costs would decline by more than 40 per cent and road accidents would reduce by approximately 45 per cent.

He noted that agricultural output and trade would rise sharply as farm produce would reach the markets on time; adding that beyond the numbers, this means that a teacher would reach their posting without delay, a farmer would earn fairer prices and a trader would be able to deliver their agricultural produce day and night.

President Mahama said: "This is the essence of the 24-hour economy where quality infrastructure allows production, processing and logistics to run continuously 24-7, creating jobs and supporting livelihoods across Ghana."

He said the rehabilitation was part of a wider transformation of Ghana's northwestern corridor under the Government's flagship programme, the Big Push Agenda.

He said the Government would reconstruct the Fufulso-Sawla Road, complete the Bole-Mandari-Chaché connection to the Ivory Coast border, and integrate this into a continuous high-quality highway stretching from Techiman through Wenchi, Bamboi, Sawla, Wa, and Hamile.

This, he said, would connect the agricultural heartlands of the Middle Belt to their northern frontier and to the regional markets in the Sahel.

He said the sod cutting also marks the beginning of a rehabilitation of the Fufulsu - Sawla Road, which was funded under the previous administration with a loan from the African Development Bank.

"This vividly demonstrates how deliberate public investment can change not only roads but also the lives of our people, and I wish to repeat my apology and regrets to the people of Ghana that with the start of the Big Push, the whole of Ghana is going to be a construction site for the next two years," he said.

"Wherever in this country you go, roads will be being constructed and so I ask Ghanaians to be patient with us and to accept the inconvenience because 24 months after the launch of the big push you'll have the best roads in West Africa."

The Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwame Governs Agbodza, assured the contractors that there would be no delay in payment for work done.