Bolgatanga–Bawku–Pulmakom Road Resumes Under New Financing Arrangement

Government has secured a new financing arrangement to facilitate the resumption and completion of the Bolgatanga–Bawku–Pulmakom Road project in the Upper East Region, following several interruptions that stalled construction.

President John Dramani Mahama, who inspected the project, said government had decided to terminate the previous loan arrangement for the project and finance the remaining works from domestic resources.

He said the decision was intended to ensure that the contractor returned to site and completed the important road, which links the eastern and western parts of the Upper East Region.

The President explained that the project had initially been awarded to Brazilian construction company Queros Galvão, which commenced work and made significant progress before the project was suspended in 2016.

He said the project was subsequently revived after the contractor was asked to secure financing to continue the works, but the financing arrangement was later affected by the economic crisis and debt defaults, resulting in another halt to construction.

President Mahama said he consequently directed the Ministries of Roads and Highways and Finance to work together to secure the return of the contractor to site.

“As of now, we are not continuing with the loan. The loan has been terminated, and so we are financing the project from our own resources,” he said.

Although the President said the project was not directly under the Big Push Programme, he explained that it had been designated an associated Big Push project, with government assuring the contractor that certificates submitted for completed works would be paid within the Big Push payment period.

He expressed confidence that the financing arrangement would enable the contractor to maintain work on site and complete the project on schedule.

President Mahama said government expected to return to the area next year to commission the completed road.

He stressed the importance of completing the project as part of efforts to establish a continuous road network linking the Upper East Region to the Eastern Corridor and providing an alternative route to Accra.

According to him, government was also scoping a stretch from Nakpanduri through Garu to Kulungungu to link with the road network.

He said the broader network would provide an alternative route from the northern parts of the country to Accra through Garu, Nakpanduri, Gusegu, Bimbila and the Eastern Corridor, connecting through Hohoe, Jasikan, Asikuma, Tema and ultimately Accra.

President Mahama commended the contractor for quickly mobilising back to site and urged the company to maintain the quality of work it had demonstrated on previous projects in Ghana.

He cited the contractor’s successful execution of the Tamale Airport project and other projects in the country as evidence of its capacity to deliver.

The President assured the contractor that government would honour its payment commitments to enable the project to progress without further interruptions.

The Bolgatanga–Bawku–Pulmakom Road is expected to improve connectivity between communities in the Upper East Region and strengthen links between the region and the proposed Eastern Corridor network.

Richard Aniagyei, ISD