Government has awarded the Dodowa-Afienya-Dawhenya road project to Ghanaian contractor Oswal Investment Limited with a 24-month completion deadline, though the company has indicated it may finish earlier.
The contract award reflects the government’s new strategy of prioritizing Ghanaian contractors for major infrastructure projects under the Big Push program, with rigorous vetting based on equipment capacity rather than nationality.
Speaking at the Sod Cutting ceremony of the construcyion of the Dodowa-Afienya- Dawhenya road on Tuesday at Afienya, President Mahama said contractors were assessed on whether they possess asphalt plants, sufficient dump trucks, graders, and rollers needed for quality road construction.
“The quality of a road depends on compaction. If you compact it well and you put the bitumen on it, the road will last forever,” President Mahama explained.
He warned against contractors who rush the compaction process, leading to road failure within months when heavy trucks use the surface.
He noted that the majority of Big Push contractors are Ghanaian as the government seeks to build local capacity in the construction industry.
“We believe in the performance and ingenuity of the Ghanaian contractor. Several of our contractors have the same capacity as any foreign contractor,
“Some foreign contractors were retained only because they held active contracts from the previous administration that had not been terminated,” the President said.
Mahama dismissed appeals from what he termed “wheelbarrow contractors” seeking Big Push projects, stating firmly that such contracts require companies with substantial equipment and proven capacity.
The selection process examined each contractor’s machinery inventory including the number of asphalt plants, dump trucks for gravel transportation, graders for spreading, and compaction rollers.
He said the road selection followed a three-tier priority system designed to maximize economic impact.
“Priority one focused on connecting regional capitals to ease travel between major administrative centers. Priority two targeted district-to-district connections across Ghana’s 261 districts, ensuring district capitals have quality road links: priority three selected roads serving food-producing areas and industrial manufacturing zones,” he disclosed.
President Mahama added that, beyond the main Big Push projects, 166 constituencies identified as having the worst road conditions will receive 10 kilometers of roads, drains, and pavements annually for four years, providing each constituency with 40 kilometers of improved infrastructure over the presidential term.
The Dodowa-Afienya-Dawhenya project fulfils a specific campaign promise the President made after experiencing the poor road conditions first-hand.
During his campaign travels, he passed through the area and held a rally at Afienya, where he pledged that, if elected, this road would be among his top priorities. “Today is a promise made, promise delivered,” he declared at the ceremony.
Oswal Investment Limited, which President Mahama described as “one of our best local contractors,” will handle multiple road segments under the project, including town roads in the area.
The President praised the company for working “with speed” while maintaining quality standards, expressing confidence in the contractor’s ability to meet or exceed the timeline.
The project forms part of a broader Greater Accra road package that includes the first phase of Tema-Aflao Road dualization, ongoing Ashaiman-Esutuare Road dualization, Oyibi-Apolonia-Afienya Road, Dodowa-Somanya and Somanya Town Roads, and the Shai Hills-Doryumu to Dodowa Road.
Several stalled projects have been repackaged under the Big Push after contractors were left unpaid and demobilized. These include the Dome-Ketasi Road, Ofankor-Nsawam Road, Adenta-Dodowa Road dualization, and the beach road from Black Star Square to Tema.
The government has allocated 13.9 billion cedis for the Big Push program in 2025, with Mahama assuring contractors that payment delays will not occur.
The focus on proper compaction and quality construction aims to prevent the road failures that have plagued previous projects where contractors rushed the foundation work to meet deadlines.
Richard Aniagyei, ISD
