GH¢29.8bn allocated to Big Push programme in 2027 to accelerate road projects – Finance Minister

Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson has announced an allocation of GH¢29.8 billion to the government's Big Push programme in 2027 to accelerate road construction and improve transportation infrastructure across the country.

He said the investment was intended to address longstanding road challenges that have imposed economic and financial difficulties on commuters, farmers, traders and transport operators.

Presenting the 2027 Budget Statement and Economic Policy to Parliament, Dr Forson said poor road infrastructure had for years placed an additional burden on Ghanaians, affecting productivity, increasing transportation costs and limiting access to markets.

He explained that workers lost valuable hours commuting on deplorable roads, while farmers struggled to transport their produce to market centres.

Transport operators, he added, also faced frequent vehicle breakdowns, resulting in increased operational costs and higher fares for passengers.

According to the Finance Minister, the poor state of roads had affected the earnings of farmers, the profits of traders and the wages of workers.

“Poor roads took from the farmer’s earnings, the trader’s profit and the worker’s wages,” he told Parliament.

Dr Forson said the government was using the Big Push programme to address these challenges and bring relief to communities that had endured poor road infrastructure for years.

“Through the Big Push, we are bringing relief to communities that have waited too long. We are building roads and connecting vital transportation corridors,” he stated.

To sustain and accelerate the programme, the government has earmarked GH¢29.8 billion for the Big Push in the 2027 fiscal year.

The allocation, he said, would support the faster delivery of ongoing road projects and extend the benefits of improved transport infrastructure to more communities across the country.

The Finance Minister explained that the investment formed part of the government's broader strategy to redirect public expenditure towards productive infrastructure capable of supporting economic growth, creating jobs and improving livelihoods.

He said the Big Push and the New Economy programmes were central to the government's shift towards productive expenditure, with a focus on investments that would strengthen the country's economic capacity.

“The Big Push and the New Economy programmes give our shift towards productive expenditure practical effect,” he said.

Dr Forson said the ultimate objective was to ensure that investments in transport infrastructure translated into improved productivity, greater economic opportunities and better living conditions for Ghanaians.