On Wednesday, October 28, ATEL CEO Louis Harrison announced that the Accra‑Tema Motorway and Extensions Project will serve as a new model for financing major infrastructure in Ghana. The 30‑year public‑private partnership (PPP) concession will see ATEL finance, reconstruct, expand, operate and maintain the motorway and its extensions, with the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund acting as sponsor.
Harrison highlighted the project’s significance as the country’s first PPP toll‑road concession, a milestone that could attract private and institutional investment into critical national projects. He noted that the motorway, originally opened in 1965 to link Accra with the industrial hub of Tema, now faces traffic volumes far beyond what the original designers imagined, necessitating a comprehensive upgrade.
The partnership involves the Ministry of Roads and Highways, the Ghana Highway Authority and the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund. Harrison praised President John Dramani Mahama for prioritising road infrastructure under the Big Push agenda, and thanked Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson and Roads and Highways Minister Kwame Governs Agbodza for their support.
ATEL has launched an official website, www.atexpresswayltd.com, to provide real‑time updates on construction progress, traffic diversions, safety notices and project milestones. Harrison stressed the importance of transparency and regular communication to keep motorists, residents and businesses informed.
“Our commitment is simple. We will communicate early and clearly about works that affect you. We will put safety first, for road users and for the workers on site. And we will deliver a road that is worthy of the patience the public is showing us today,” he assured commuters.
With the motorway’s expansion now 53% complete, the project aims to finish by August 2027. The upgraded expressway is expected to restore the motorway’s historical significance while demonstrating Ghana’s capacity to deliver sustainable infrastructure through partnerships.
