Former Minister for Roads and Highways and Member of Parliament for Bantama, Francis Asenso-Boakye, has accused the government of attempting to shortchange the people of Kumasi by scaling down the Suame Interchange project.
Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen show, Mr. Asenso-Boakye said the original design of the Suame Interchange was a four-tier structure aimed at addressing Kumasi’s severe traffic congestion.
However, he claimed the current government plans to reduce the project to a two-tier interchange, citing lack of funds. According to him, the revised design would not adequately resolve traffic challenges in the rapidly growing city.
He explained that the project was initially financed through a loan agreement with a Spanish bank, which was approved by Parliament, but funding challenges emerged during a debt restructuring period.
“The two-tier plan proposed by the government will not resolve the ongoing traffic problems. Kumasi continues to grow, and effective traffic solutions are essential. The financing for this project was secured through a loan agreement with a bank in Spain, which was approved by Parliament. Everything was set for the project when the debt restructuring occurred, leading to a withdrawal of resources. The previous government then obtained funding from Afreximbank for the Suame Interchange,” he said.
Mr. Asenso-Boakye noted that the previous government later secured alternative financing from Afreximbank, which allowed construction to resume between 2023 and 2024, with about 56 per cent of the project completed.
He attributed delays to variations on the ground, particularly the relocation of major pipelines beneath the interchange.
The Bantama MP expressed concern that, despite the current government listing the Suame Interchange as part of its flagship infrastructure initiatives, it is now claiming there is no money to complete it as designed.
“Meanwhile, they are undertaking new projects. It would make sense for them to halt those initiatives and concentrate on the ongoing Suame Interchange project instead. It seems as though they are neglecting the needs of the people of Kumasi regarding this important infrastructure. If they proceed with their proposed changes, there will be additional costs and further delays associated with the project,” he stated.
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