Minister for Roads and Highways, Governs Kwame Agbodza, has assured residents and property owners in Osu that the government will not indiscriminately demolish buildings to facilitate the proposed Tema-Winneba coastal road project.
He said government is working with architects and other professionals to find a solution that will improve traffic flow in the area while preserving buildings and structures considered historically significant.
Speaking at the 2026 World Architecture Day celebration organised by the Ghana Institute of Architects, Mr Agbodza said the government was mindful of the impact major road projects could have on existing communities.
The celebration was held on the theme: “Housing is a Human Right. Build It.”
“No one is just going to go through Osu and demolish everything just because we want to build a road. We are sensitive to things like that,” he said.
According to the Minister, roads should not be viewed merely as infrastructure connecting two points, but as projects that directly affect communities, livelihoods and heritage.
“Roads are not basically lines paved with concrete or asphalt for people to drive from point A to point B. Along that stretch are communities, our lives, our farms and everything,” he stated.
500-metre Osu stretch remains challenge
Mr Agbodza explained that the government’s long-standing plan to construct a coastal road from Tema to Winneba already has an established alignment.
He said the major challenge was a 500-metre stretch around Osu, where concerns had been raised about the potential demolition of buildings.
He noted that government had therefore engaged professionals, including architect Deban, to help find an appropriate solution.
“The only bottleneck is a 500-meter stretch around Osu, and I have been reading all your comments, and sometimes I get to feel that it is interesting that when you are out there, you feel everybody who is a decision-maker is blind, or we are inconsiderate about what we do,” he said.
Mr Agbodza said he had taken the concerns raised by the public seriously and was committed to finding a balance between improving transportation and protecting Osu’s heritage.
“I read every comment, and I take them seriously. As a matter of fact, we brought in Architect Deban to help us navigate that,” he added.
One-way option could also require demolition
The Minister also dismissed suggestions that government could simply introduce a one-way traffic system through Osu to avoid the demolition of buildings.
He explained that such an arrangement would still require adequate road space for vehicles and pedestrians, potentially resulting in even greater disruption.
“If you want to even do a one-way, we need a minimum of maybe 6, 7 meters wide. If you were to do a road one direction and do walkways and other things, because you are building through Osu, the level of demolition you will do, the damage you need to cause to do that is far more than what you do within the 500 meters of stretch we are talking about,” he explained.
Mr Agbodza acknowledged concerns over the preservation of Osu’s historical character, but stressed that traffic management and the protection of important buildings must also be considered in determining the best solution.
He assured residents that the project would not involve the indiscriminate destruction of buildings.
“But Architect Deban and others are helping us to do the best possible to have both cases resolved. So rest assured that we are not going to just go there with dozers and raze down every building,” he added.
