Mahama appoints Gabriel Opoku-Asare as Road Maintenance Trust Fund Board Chairman

President John Dramani Mahama has appointed corporate executive and presidential staffer Gabriel Opoku-Asare as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Road Maintenance Trust Fund (RMTF).

His appointment, together with that of 14 other board members, was formalised on Monday, November 9, 2026, at an inauguration ceremony held at the Ministry of Roads and Highways in Accra.

The ceremony was presided over by the Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwame Governs Agbodza. Opoku-Asare takes over from former board chairman Isaac Adjei Mensah, Member of Parliament for Wassa East.

With more than 20 years of executive experience spanning Africa, Europe, Asia and North America, Opoku-Asare has built a career in public policy, international trade and corporate affairs.

He currently serves as a Presidential Staffer and Chief Export Development Officer at the Office of the President under the 24-Hour Economy initiative, where he leads Ghana's export transformation agenda, including efforts to improve market access through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

He is also an advisory member of the Presidential Committee on Accelerated Export Development, chaired by the President, and a Non-Executive Director of Airtel Ghana Limited (AT Ghana).

Before entering public service, Opoku-Asare held several senior positions at Diageo, working across different continents. As Head of Society for Africa, he oversaw sustainability programmes in 13 priority markets across 4 business units and engaged international organisations, including the African Union, UNDP and UNITAR.

He subsequently became Executive Director of Corporate Affairs for Diageo Southeast Asia, based in Singapore, with responsibility for operations across Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. He was the first African to occupy an executive-level corporate affairs leadership position for Diageo outside Africa.

In North America, he served as Director of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) for Diageo, based in Washington, D.C., where he promoted circular-economy initiatives, including glass recycling programmes in Kentucky, Illinois and Colorado.

His international corporate experience also includes serving as Chief Public Affairs Officer and a member of the global executive team at pawaTech, an Estonia-based technology company operating in 18 African markets. He led the company's public affairs and regulatory strategy and contributed to the establishment of a pan-African industry association.

Earlier in his career, he held leadership positions at Guinness Ghana Breweries, Unilever Ghana, Mohinani Group and K-NET Ghana. At Unilever, he served as Head of Corporate Affairs and Administrator of the Unilever Ghana Foundation, while at Mohinani Group, he was Group Head of Corporate Affairs.

His previous work also includes initiatives directly connected to road safety and environmental sustainability. At Diageo, he led a partnership with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), introducing the company's first drink-driving awareness programme of its kind globally through an electronic learning module incorporated into Ghana's national driver testing system.

He also co-founded the Africa Plastics Recycling Alliance in collaboration with Unilever, Nestlé and Coca-Cola.

Opoku-Asare has served in various professional and industry leadership roles, including as Vice Chairman of the Beverage Sector of the Association of Ghana Industries and the Alcohol Manufacturers and Importers Association.

His professional recognitions include Ghana CSR Practitioner of the Year in 2018, being named the second-best Corporate Relations Leader across Diageo globally, and receiving 3 Diageo Global Corporate Relations Awards in 2019.

Academically, he holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Land Economy from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), a Master of Arts degree in International Relations from the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom and a Graduate Certificate in Public Relations from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA).

He has also undertaken executive education programmes at Harvard University and the University of Oxford. He is an Accredited Public Relations Practitioner (APR) and an alumnus of Opoku Ware School in Kumasi.

Speaking after his appointment, Opoku-Asare expressed appreciation for the opportunity to serve, pledging to prioritise accountability, efficiency and collaboration in the management of road maintenance resources.

“I am deeply honoured by this call to service. Road maintenance is where public money either protects lives and livelihoods or is lost to potholes and delays. This Board will be guided by accountability, value for money and partnership with the Ministry, Parliament, the road agencies, the private sector and road users.”

He is expected to bring a long-term and sustainable approach to road maintenance, with emphasis on ensuring that public resources are used efficiently and responsibly. The corporate executive has travelled to 80 countries across 6 continents.

Composition of the 15-member Board
Opoku-Asare will lead a 15-member Board of Trustees comprising representatives from government institutions, professional bodies, traditional authorities, civil society and road users.

The other members are Mr Courage Kwabena Barlon, Administrator of the Road Maintenance Trust Fund; Ing. Samuel Kwasi Akuaku, Chief Director of the Ministry of Roads and Highways; Mrs Sarah Fafa Kpodo of the Office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice; Mr Richard Fedieley of the Ministry of Transport; and Dr Grace Fidelia Annan of the Ministry of Finance.

The remaining members are Mr Amin Abdul-Rahaman of the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs; former Walewale MP Alidu Iddrisu Zakari, representing civil society with expertise in road infrastructure; Queen Mother Mamaga Sename III; Mrs Victoria Kuma-Mintah; Mr Adam Awal; Sawla Wura Iddrisu Abdulai Nugbaso, Chief of Sawla, representing road users; Mr Stephen Kwaku Attatsi of the Association of Road Contractors; Surv. Rev. Allan Okomeng-Mensah of the Ghana Institution of Surveyors; and Ing. Godwin Joseph Brocke of the Ghana Institution of Engineers.

The Road Maintenance Trust Fund was established under the Road Maintenance Trust Fund Act, 2025 (Act 1147), as a corporate body to replace the former Road Fund.

Unlike its predecessor, the new institution operates under a dedicated Board of Trustees drawn from government, professional associations, traditional authorities, contractors, civil society and road users. Its operations are subject to parliamentary oversight and independent auditing.