President John Dramani Mahama has announced that the 48 Engineer Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces will serve as a major sub-contractor on the construction of the new Accra-Kumasi Expressway.

The President also directed the Regiment to begin preparations to clear the right-of-way for the proposed New Accra Orbital, as government expands the role of the military’s engineering units in major infrastructure projects.

The announcement by government spokesperson, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, builds on government’s earlier decision to involve the Ghana Armed Forces in the implementation of its Big Push infrastructure programme.

In January 2026, President Mahama said the 48 Engineer Regiment would participate in road construction projects to leverage the technical capacity of the military while generating internally generated funds for the Armed Forces.

The 48 Engineer Regiment has since taken a leading role in preparatory works for the Accra-Kumasi Expressway, clearing the project’s right-of-way.

As of September 14, 2026, the Ghana Armed Forces had cleared 175.6 kilometres of the right-of-way, with the cleared stretch scheduled for formal handover to government at Kwaso near Ejisu.

The development comes as government moves into the next phase of the expressway project. The Ministry of Roads and Highways issued an invitation for prequalification for construction of the Accra-Kumasi Expressway on September 12.

The proposed expressway is a major component of the government’s Big Push infrastructure programme. It is designed as a six-lane, access-controlled highway intended to significantly reduce travel time between Accra and Kumasi.

Government has also secured US$1.7 billion for the project, with the funds deposited in a dedicated account at the Bank of Ghana and ring-fenced for use after the main construction contract is awarded.

President Mahama previously said the new expressway would reduce the journey between Accra and Kumasi from about five hours to roughly two hours, while bypassing major towns and improving road safety and traffic flow.

The planned Accra Orbital Motorway is also part of President Mahama’s broader infrastructure vision, with the project identified in the government’s infrastructure plans as an outer ring road intended to ease traffic congestion in the capital.