The Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwame Governs Agbodza, has criticised his predecessor, Francis Asenso-Boakye, over delays in the Suame Interchange project, blaming what he described as misplaced priorities under the previous administration.
Agbodza argued that funds spent by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government on the National Cathedral could have significantly advanced the Suame Interchange project in Kumasi.
“Over $100 million was spent on the National Cathedral,” he said while responding to criticisms from Asenso-Boakye over the redesign of the interchange. “With that amount, at least half of the Suame Interchange could have been completed, sparing the people of the Ashanti Region years of delays and inconvenience.”
The minister defended the decision to redesign the interchange, explaining that the revised plan removes the proposed fourth-tier bridge to align with new and complementary road infrastructure developments.
He pointed to the construction of the Kumasi Outer Ring Road under the government’s Big Push Programme, noting that it is expected to divert a significant volume of traffic, particularly vehicles heading north, away from the city centre.
“Once the outer ring road is completed, Suame will require far less traffic capacity than initially anticipated,” Agbodza explained.
He further attributed the decision to unresolved land expropriation and compensation issues inherited from the previous administration, which he said made the original four-tier design both costly and impractical.
According to him, the proposed fourth-tier bridge would have affected several commercial properties, the Suame Police Station and portions of land belonging to Garden City Mall, with compensation costs projected to exceed half of the project’s original construction budget.
Agbodza urged the Minority in Parliament to prioritise practical solutions over political arguments when it comes to national infrastructure development.
“Kumasi deserves the best,” he said, adding that the modified interchange design, together with ongoing complementary road projects, will provide a modern and efficient road network for Kumasi and the wider Ashanti Region.
