Bad roads crippling national development – Economist
By Solomon Nartey Tetteh
Economist Dr. Valentin Mensah has underscored the urgent need to revamp Ghana’s road network, arguing that better infrastructure could unlock vital resources for national development.
His remarks come as the government rolls out the Big Push project, which focuses on expanding road infrastructure over the next two years.
Speaking on the Business Breakfast show on Zed 101.9 FM, Dr. Mensah commended Ghana’s progress in key social sectors such as education and health.
However, he noted that poor road infrastructure remains a major barrier to economic growth, limiting mobility and productivity across the country.
The economist emphasized that without tackling road challenges, the country’s development potential would remain stunted despite gains in other areas.
Dr. Mensah called for urgent reforms in Ghana’s infrastructure development strategy, stressing the critical need to improve road networks as part of the nation’s broader economic transformation agenda under the Big Push initiative.
“In Ghana, we’ve done quite well in areas like education and health, but our road network is becoming a bottleneck,” he said.
Dr. Mensah identified three major barriers to successful project execution: corruption, inadequate funding, and poor project management.
“We must tackle corruption, especially the kickbacks and backdoor deals that prevent effective policy implementation,” Dr. Mensah noted.
He warned that awarding contracts based on political loyalty or personal connections undermines both project quality and completion.
The economist urged policymakers to shift toward merit-based procurement practices.
“If we don’t move away from that approach, we’ll always be inhibited and may never complete our projects,” he cautioned.
Dr. Mensah also called for better prioritization and financial discipline in executing the Big Push infrastructure agenda.
He explained that focusing on strategic sectors can accelerate economic activity and help the government recover its investments more efficiently.
