By Benjamin A, Commey
Accra, Dec. 09, GNA — Mr. Governs Kwame Agbodza, the Minister of Roads and Highways (MRH), has charged members of the newly inaugurated Board of Trustees of the Road Maintenance Trust Fund (RMTF) to play a central role in advancing government’s agenda to improve the country’s road network.
“The public is very concerned about the road network in our country and Government’s response is to do whatever it takes to make sure that we see improvement in all parts of the country in terms of the road network.
“You are being called upon today to support Government’s effort in improving the road network as we all know it,” he said.
Mr. Agbodza issued the charged when he inaugurated the 15-member Board of Trustees, in Accra, on Tuesday.
The Board is chaired by Mr. Isaac Adjei Mensah, the Member of Parliament for Wassa East and a former Deputy Minister of Roads and Highways.
Members include Mr. Courage Kwabena Barlon, Administrator of the Fund; Mr. Samuel Kwasi Akuaku from the MRH; Mrs. Leona Serwah Johnson-Abassah, Office of the Attorney-General; Mr. Richard Fedieley, from the Ministry of Transport; Dr. Grace Fidelia Annan from the Finance Ministry; Mr. Ernest Henry Norgbey, MP for Ashaiman and Presidential nominee and Mamaga Sename III, a Presidential nominee.
The rest are; Mrs. Victoria Kuma-Mintah, a Presidential nominee; Mr. Amin Abdul-Rahman, Ministry of Local Government; Mr. Alidu Iddrisu Zakari from Civil Society Organisation with expertise in Road Infrastructure; Mr. Stephen Kwaku Attatsi from Association of Road Contractors; Sawla Wura Iddrisu Abdulai Nugbaso, road user; Reverend Allan Okomeng-Mensah, Ghana Institute of Surveyors, and Mr. Godwin Joseph Brocke, Ghana Institution of Engineering.
The RMTF is a new dedicated financing mechanism established by Act 1147, replacing the old Road Fund, to ensure sustainable funding for maintaining and rehabilitating roads, bridges, and related infrastructure.
Mr. Agbodza said the creation of the Trust Fund marked a decisive shift from the old road fund system, which lacked parliamentary oversight and often resulted in uneven allocation of resources.
“In the past, the road fund existed as a fund but not as a full-fledged statutory fund with accountability to people, especially Parliament,” the Minister explained, cautioning members of the board to ensure the fund operated within its stipulated mandate.
“It is not a fund to fix your friends. It is not a fund to make your family happy. It is a fund to fix the roads in our country,” he stressed.
Mr. Agbodza also revealed that the Fund was currently under heavy strain, with over GH¢8 billion in certificates awaiting payment, while projected accruals for 2025 were expected to be between GH¢2 billion and GH¢2.5 billion.
He noted that an independent audit was currently underway to validate outstanding certificates, after which a third batch of payments would be released.
Highlighting the government’s focus on equitable resource distribution, the Minister said every constituency would now receive a minimum allocation for road maintenance to prevent regional neglect, adding that special attention would also be given to over 60 districts identified as having the worst road conditions in the country.
He urged the Board to prioritise Small and Medium Contractors (SMCs), who he said performed essential work such as clearing roadside vegetation, desilting culverts and patching potholes but remained under-resourced.
“Many of them have not been paid since 2019. This narrative must change,” he emphasised, expressing optimism that some payments could be made before Christmas.
Mr. Adjei Mensah, the Board Chairman, pledged that the Board would uphold high standards of transparency and accountability, describing the Fund as a strategic tool in safeguarding Ghana’s road investments.
“The Board is not here to operate. We are here to set a new standard in the management of public funds,” he said.
“Good roads are not a luxury. They are a foundation for national development.”
He assured the public that the Board would work diligently to ensure that every cedi allocated for road maintenance “reaches its intended destination and delivers visible results.”
Mr. Mensah called for unity among Board members, urging them to help “change the narrative of road maintenance in Ghana for generations to come.”
GNA
Edited by Christian Akorlie