Expressway: “Eat your wife’s fufu” — Mahama shares light‑hearted joke with Kumasi Chiefs, husbands

President John Dramani Mahama says the proposed Accra–Kumasi Expressway will drastically cut travel time between Ghana’s two biggest cities and boost economic activity.

According to him, once completed, commuters will be able to travel from Kumasi to Accra in just two hours.

“So, Nana, when this express road is finished, you can leave at 6 a.m. and you will be in Accra by 8 a.m. You can conduct your business, you can go and find some fufu to eat, and you set off at 5 p.m. in the evening. By 7 p.m., you will be home and your wife will welcome you with a bowl of fufu,” President Mahama said, drawing laughter from the gathering.

The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has handed over a 175.6‑kilometre right‑of‑way cleared for the construction of the Accra–Kumasi Expressway to the government. The handover ceremony took place at Kwaso, near Ejisu in the Ashanti Region.

The Commander‑in‑Chief described the project as long overdue, noting that Accra and Kumasi remain Ghana’s most populous cities and the centres of major commercial and economic activity.

“Nananom, my fellow countrymen, this project is long overdue. These two cities have the biggest populations in Ghana, and they also host the largest commercial and economic activities — Accra and Kumasi,” President Mahama added.

President John Dramani Mahama also announced that $2 billion has been secured to fund the construction of the Accra-Kumasi Expressway, assuring that financing will not hinder the progress of the major road project.

According to the President, the funds, sourced from taxpayers, have been deposited in a dedicated account at the Bank of Ghana to facilitate the timely payment of the contractor.

“We have secured $2 billion to finance the construction of the Accra-Kumasi Expressway, and we will make sure that funding does not become a constraint to the progress of the project,” he said.

He explained that payment certificates submitted by the contractor would be settled promptly to prevent delays in the execution of the project.

“And let me also announce that this is our own money. We have not gone to borrow money from anywhere. This money is the taxpayers’ money,” the President said.

As part of efforts to accelerate construction, President Mahama directed the Minister for Roads and Highways to engage the Ghana Armed Forces Engineers Regiment as a major subcontractor.

He said the involvement of the military engineers would complement the work of the main contractor and help expedite the construction of the expressway.

The Accra–Kumasi Expressway is expected to serve as a flagship infrastructure project aimed at improving connectivity, reducing road accidents, and facilitating trade between the southern and northern parts of the country.