Francis Asenso-Boakye, a former Minister for Roads and Highways and Member of Parliament for Bantama, has responded to remarks made by Kwame Agbodza, the current Minister for Roads and Highways, during his turn at the Government Accountability Series briefing earlier on Wednesday, July 30, 2025.
Mr. Asenso-Boakye, a member of the Roads and Transport Committee, told reporters in Parliament that the Minister’s assertions were “misleading” and “a reflection of deliberate distortion and double standards.”
“The recent comments made by the Minister are not only misleading but also reflect a worrying pattern of deliberate distortion and double standards,” said Mr. Asenso-Boakye.
Mr. Asenso-Boakye responded to the Roads Minister’s remark that the 10,000 kilometers of roads built under President Akufo-Addo were a “mirage” by stating that more than 13,624 kilometers of roads were built between 2017 and the end of 2024.
He said that this number encompasses upgrades, reconstructions, graveling, asphalt overlays, and new construction.
The Ministry’s Monitoring and Evaluation Directorate, which is made up of qualified civil workers, gathered the data, he said, adding, “These facts have been presented repeatedly, yet Mr. Agbodza continues to ignore them.”
Concerns were also voiced by Mr. Asenso-Boakye on the Minister’s remarks regarding single-source procurement. He pointed out what he called Mr. Agbodza’s position was contradictory.
“At today’s press briefing, Mr. Kwame Agbodza stated that ‘once you have the Engineer’s Estimate, it doesn’t matter which procurement method you use.’ This contradiction raises serious questions,” he said.
“You cannot demonize a method when others use it, only to defend it when you find yourself in the same position,” the former Roads Minister added.
The former Minister of Roads and Highways asked the Ministry of Roads and Highways to refrain from politicizing its operations and instead concentrate on technical delivery.
“The Ministry is a technical institution, not a propaganda arm for political spin. Ghanaians deserve honest, data-driven leadership,” he remarked.
The Roads and Transport Committee’s Minority Caucus has reaffirmed its dedication to encouraging integrity and openness in the reporting of public infrastructure projects.
Source: newsthemegh.com