Sawla, Savannah Region – President John Dramani Mahama has cut sod for the reconstruction of the Wenchi–Sawla–Wa Road, marking the official start of another major project under his proposed “Big Push” national infrastructure program.
The event, held at Sawla in the Savannah Region, drew regional and constituency executives, clergy, Members of Parliament, officials from the Ministry of Roads and Highways, contractors, and residents.
Mr. Mahama said the rehabilitation of the Wenchi–Sawla–Wa corridor is part of a broader national effort to modernize Ghana’s infrastructure and promote inclusive development across all regions. He described the road as a “new corridor of progress” that will reconnect markets, communities, and families while strengthening economic ties between Ghana’s middle belt and the Sahel region.
“This road is not just a construction project. It is a covenant of hope and a promise that this government will deliver not slogans but solutions,” he stated.
The Wenchi–Wa Road, he explained, forms part of the National Route N12, stretching from Wenchi in the Bono East Region through Bamboi, Banda Nkwanta, Tinga, and Sawla in the Savannah Region to Wa in the Upper West Region, before extending northward to Hamile on the Burkina Faso border. In total, the Techiman–Wa corridor covers about 322 kilometers, with 195 kilometers between Wenchi and Sawla.
The corridor, Mr. Mahama noted, is vital to Ghana’s agricultural and trade activities. An estimated 2,000 to 2,500 vehicles use the route daily, carrying about 4,000 tons of produce such as grains, yams, cashew, and livestock from the Bono East farmlands to northern markets. However, the deteriorated condition of the road has increased transport costs, travel times, and accidents.
“This is unacceptable in modern Ghana,” he said, stressing that the Big Push initiative will comprehensively rehabilitate the road to improve safety, reduce vehicle operating costs by 40 percent, and cut travel time by half.
The 195-kilometer project has been divided into seven lots to ensure concurrent execution and timely completion within 24 months. It will include complete pavement reconstruction, widening, drainage upgrades, and asphalt surfacing, along with proper signage, guardrails, and road markings. Town roads in Bamboi, Banda Nkwanta, Tinga, and Bole will also be improved, with a dual carriageway planned for Bole Township.
Some of Ghana’s leading contractors CIWE, Polychangda Overseas Engineering Company, China Railway No. 5 Engineering Company, and Maripoma Limited—are executing the project. Mr. Mahama assured the public that government will insist on strict adherence to quality standards, environmental safeguards, and transparent oversight.
He also announced plans to rehabilitate the Fufuso–Sawla Road, which was originally funded during his administration through a loan from the African Development Bank. In addition, contractors have been tasked to rehabilitate the Bole Town Roads and the Bole–Chache Road, which will link to Côte d’Ivoire through a new bridge over the Black Volta.
“The Bole–Chache Road will become an international trade route between Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire,” he added.
Mr. Mahama urged communities along the corridor to support and protect the project by avoiding road encroachments, overloading, and the creation of unauthorized speed ramps, which he said damage roads and shorten their lifespan. He encouraged contractors to employ local labor and source supplies from nearby communities to stimulate local economies.
The President reiterated that the Big Push program will make Ghana a “construction site” over the next two years, urging citizens to be patient with temporary inconveniences. He said the initiative aligns with his proposed 24-hour economy policy, aimed at enabling continuous production, processing, and trade nationwide.
“When completed, this road will help farmers reach markets faster, teachers travel safely to their postings, and traders move their goods efficiently, day and night. This is how we build a fairer Ghana where every region shares in national progress,” he said.
He concluded with a call for unity and shared responsibility:
“From Wenchi to Sawla, from Bole to Wa, from Savannah to Accra, we are weaving our nation together road by road, bridge by bridge, and community by community. Long live Ghana, long live the Big Push, and long live the 24-hour economy.
Story by Doe Benjamin Kofi Lawson