When President John Dramani Mahama appointed Kwame Governs Agbodza as Minister for Roads and Highways in January 2025, he handed him one of the toughest jobs in government. Contractors were owed billions, hundreds of projects had stalled, and many Ghanaians had lost faith in road promises.

A chartered architect and the long-serving MP for Adaklu in the Volta Region, Agbodza had spent years as a leading voice on Parliament's Roads and Transport Committee. Nearly two years into the job, here are seven of the key achievements of his tenure so far.

1. Paying contractors billions in arrears

The biggest problem Agbodza inherited was debt. In 2025, road contractors were owed an estimated GH¢40 billion, and many had abandoned their sites after going years without payment.

Clearing those arrears became his first priority. In July 2025, the government released GH¢4 billion to bring contractors back to work. By the end of July 2026, according to the minister, the government had paid out a total of GH¢23.1 billion, most of it to settle old arrears, with the rest going to new projects.

Agbodza now says contractors are paid once their certificates are raised, rather than waiting two or three years as in the past.

2. Launching the "Big Push"

Agbodza is the man in charge of delivering President Mahama's flagship Big Push programme, a major investment in durable, high-quality roads to connect economic zones and cut travel times.

According to a recent profile by 3News, more than 2,000 kilometres of roads across all 16 regions are now under construction or rehabilitation. Projects include the 34-kilometre Sunyani Outer Ring Road, the Tepa–Goaso road in the Ahafo Region, and the Navrongo–Chuchuliga–Tumu road in the Upper East.

The minister says the focus is on quality, so that new roads do not fall apart soon after they are finished.

3. Preparing the Accra–Kumasi Expressway

For almost 70 years, there has been no new alternative route between Ghana's two biggest cities. Agbodza is leading preparations for the Accra–Kumasi Expressway, funded under the Big Push.

The goal is ambitious: once complete, the minister says motorists should be able to drive from Accra to Kumasi in about two hours. He has assured the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, that the expressway will not affect the ongoing dualisation of the existing Accra–Kumasi road.

4. Rescuing the Suame Interchange

The Suame Interchange in Kumasi, one of the country's busiest traffic points, had been slowed by unpaid bills. Agbodza told the Asantehene that the government had paid all US$25 million owed to the contractor, clearing the way for the project to be completed in 2027.

The ministry has also modified the project's design, which it says will ensure value for money and better solve the area's traffic problems.

5. Cracking the whip on slow contractors

Agbodza has shown he is willing to act when contractors fall behind. In September 2026, after inspecting the Wenchi–Bole road, he cut the work of two contractors from 50 kilometres to 25 kilometres each over their slow progress and handed the removed sections to new firms. He warned that their contracts could be terminated if they did not improve within two months.

On other projects where he judged the original workload too risky, he has reduced the scope to keep work on track. At the same time, he has argued that contractors who perform well deserve as much public praise as underperformers receive criticism.

6. Reviving stalled projects and starting new ones

When Agbodza took office, more than 1,000 road projects had stalled across the country, mostly because contractors had not been paid. Clearing arrears has allowed many to restart.

The minister has also announced major new works, including the Dambai Bridge, the Wa–Bolgatanga road, and outer ring roads in Kumasi and Tamale, and has pledged that roads in every constituency and district will receive attention in the coming months.

7. Hands-on inspections across the country

Agbodza has made regular site visits a hallmark of his tenure. In September 2026, he completed a nationwide inspection tour of projects in the Bono, Upper West, Upper East and Northern regions, reporting improved progress since his previous visit while acknowledging delays on some projects.

He has also accompanied President Mahama on the Resetting Ghana Tour, briefing him directly on progress at road sites, from the Upper East Region to the Ahafo Region.

The work still ahead

The minister himself admits the job is far from finished, and several challenges remain: