Road sector engineers and executives in the country have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening their collective voice and influence in shaping policies and decisions that affect engineering and national development.

This renewed resolve emerged at a special luncheon held with the President of the Ghana Institution of Engineering (GhIE) at the Engineering Centre in Accra, where professionals from across the road sector gathered to reconnect, reflect, and look ahead.

The luncheon, held on December 29, 2025, provided a relaxed but purposeful space for engineers to meet, reminisce about their shared professional journeys, exchange stories about the past and present of the sector, and explore how they can better shape its future.

Speaking at the event, the President of the Ghana Institution of Engineering, Ing. Ludwig Annang Hesse, F-GhIE, urged engineers to see their role as extending beyond technical design and construction to include the “engineering” of governance, ethics, and institutions.

“Engineering has not only been defined as the science and technology of building machines and structures,” he said, “but also as the art of working deliberately to bring something about. In engineering our future, we must concern ourselves not only with infrastructure, but also with the systems governance, financial and ethical that allow those structures to serve society well.”

He stressed that engineers must be present at decision-making tables to help design and implement systems that create a supportive environment for infrastructure to deliver real value to citizens.

“We must ensure that the governance frameworks around our work are sound, transparent, and effective, so that the roads and systems we build truly improve lives,” he added.

Discussions at the luncheon focused on policies and institutional arrangements in the road sector, the effectiveness of existing institutions, and how engineers can better influence reforms that strengthen accountability, efficiency, and long-term planning in line with Ghana’s long-term vision for the sector.

The former Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Highway Authority, Ing. Christian Nti, encouraged participants to share lessons from the past and insights from the present in order to “engineer” a better future for the sector and for the country.

“The road sector, for which we have toiled so much, holds enormous promise for Ghana’s development,” Ing. Nti said. “If we reflect honestly, plan thoughtfully, and act collectively, we can make that promise a reality.”

A Civil Engineer Dr. Frederick Yaw Addo-Abedi, F-GhIE, on his part stressed that roads are central to Ghana’s socio-economic development and must therefore be given the priority they deserve. He called for a strong focus on routine and periodic maintenance, an end to ad-hoc development approaches, and improved project management across the sector.

“We must prioritize maintenance, avoid ad-hoc interventions, and strengthen project management in the road sector if we want sustainable and reliable infrastructure,” he added.

The luncheon ended on a warm and reflective note, with participants agreeing that while technical excellence remains central, the future of Ghana’s roads also depends on leadership, collaboration, and the willingness of engineers to engage beyond the drawing board.