The Member of Parliament (MP) for Kwabre East, Hon. Akwasi Gyamfi Onyina-Acheampong, has dismissed what he describes as deliberate attempts by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to discredit Members of Parliament (MPs) in the Ashanti Region, particularly former Roads Minister, Hon. Francis Asenso-Boakye, over the proposed Accra–Kumasi Expressway project.
Speaking in an interview on Oyerepa Radio, the MP said the NDC is “peddling misleading claims” that the government intends to proceed with the expressway project but Ashanti MPs, especially Asenso-Boakye, have written to halt the initiative.
According to him, the narrative being circulated by the NDC intentionally ignores the reality on the ground. He explained that although the new expressway is a long-term plan, the existing Accra–Kumasi highway continues to record frequent accidents, heavy traffic, and major safety risks that must be addressed urgently.
“We already have a main road leading to the Ashanti Region, and this road has for years been recording unnecessary accidents and traffic. Portions of about 94 kilometres have still not been touched, even though 146 kilometres have been awarded for construction, including bypasses,” he said.
Hon. Onyina-Acheampong noted that the 2026 Budget did not make allocations for the old road. He argued that Asenso-Boakye’s position is grounded in logic and public safety, not politics.
“Asenso-Boakye is simply saying that the government must first complete the old road to reduce the accidents before talking about the new expressway. If the expressway will take about three years to complete, what happens to the lives being lost on the current road in the meantime?” he explained.
He insisted that prioritising the rehabilitation and completion of the existing road network is the most responsible approach, as it would immediately reduce risks to commuters.
Hon. Onyina-Acheampong therefore rejected suggestions by the NDC that Ashanti MPs are working against the welfare of the region.
“The claims that we do not care about the wellbeing of Ashantis are completely false,” he stressed. “Our position is to save lives now while future projects are planned and executed appropriately.”
