Former Minister for Roads and current Member of Parliament (MP) for Bantama Constituency, Hon Francis Asenso-Boakye, has dismissed claims by Finance Minister, Hon Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, that funds for the Ofankor-Nsawam Road Project were misused, describing the allegations as “false and politically motivated.”
Speaking on Oyerepa TV, Mr. Asenso-Boakye explained that the $200 million loan secured from Afreximbank for the project was fully utilised. “All the money borrowed was exhausted on the road project. If we had spent the funds on ourselves, we would have been imprisoned,” he said.
He clarified that the transaction in question occurred before his tenure as Roads Minister. “I was Minister for Housing when this happened. Hon. Ato Forson, as ranking member of the Finance Committee, and Hon. Abugya, ranking member for Roads, handled the transaction. They know the facts but continue to spread lies to incite Ghanaians against the NPP,” he said.
The Ofankor-Nsawam Road Project, he noted, is one of the country’s busiest roads and involves significant infrastructure work, including interchanges, underpasses, overpasses, and bridges. The total project cost is $346 million, with the remaining $146 million expected to come from the Government of Ghana’s own resources. Asenso-Boakye emphasised that about 70 percent of the project has been completed with the Afreximbank loan, and further funding is necessary to fully finish it.
He also accused the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) of using misinformation as a political tool. “The reason the NDC is doing this is that they cannot fulfil the promises they made to Ghanaians. So all they have left is to spread lies to cover their failures,” he said, noting that incorrect briefings were even presented to President John Mahama.
