By: Kenneth Appiah Bani
President John Dramani Mahama has highlighted his administration’s flagship Big Push Infrastructure Programme, a $10 billion initiative aimed at accelerating infrastructure development, creating hundreds of thousands of jobs and completing stalled legacy projects across Ghana.
The President outlined the programme during his address at the 13th edition of the Financial Times (FT) Africa Summit in London, where global business leaders, policymakers and heads of state gathered to discuss strategies for economic growth and development.
According to President Mahama, the programme will run for five years, with an annual allocation of $2 billion to support infrastructure projects across the country.
“We are building infrastructure through the Big Push Programme. It is a $10 billion programme over five years, with $2 billion allocated each year,” he said.
President Mahama explained that the initiative, which has begun with road infrastructure, will be expanded to cover other critical sectors, including education, healthcare and agriculture.
“We have started with road infrastructure, but we are adding schools, hospitals, irrigation schemes and other projects,” he added.
The programme is expected to improve Ghana’s road network, strengthen public infrastructure and support economic activities in communities across the country. The planned investment in schools and hospitals is also intended to address infrastructure gaps in the education and health sectors, while irrigation projects could help boost agricultural production.
Beyond infrastructure development, the government expects the programme to create significant employment opportunities, particularly for young people, through construction activities and related businesses.
The initiative also forms part of the administration’s broader development agenda, which places emphasis on infrastructure investment as a means of stimulating economic growth, improving public services and supporting private-sector activity.
However, the programme’s success will depend on effective implementation, prudent financial management and the timely completion of projects. Ensuring transparency in the use of public funds and maintaining the quality of infrastructure will also be important in delivering the intended benefits to Ghanaians.
The 13th edition of the two-day FT Africa Summit is being held under the theme “Mobilising Growth in a New Global Order.” The forum brings together influential figures from business, government and international policy circles to examine Africa’s economic prospects and opportunities for sustainable growth.
President Mahama’s presentation placed Ghana’s infrastructure investment plans within the wider discussion on economic transformation, development financing and the role of public investment in driving growth across the continent.
