Dr Nana Yaw Adutwum, Director of Policy for the United Party, appeared on Channel One TV’s The Big Issue on Saturday, October 10, to argue that the government should seek private investment for the Accra‑Kumasi Expressway instead of locking away more than $2 billion for the project. He said the financing scheme was the problem, not the project itself, and that reallocating funds could allow the state to meet urgent obligations such as teacher promotion arrears and deprived area allowances.
Adutwum described the expressway as a commendable infrastructure initiative but warned that the current ring‑fencing strategy would leave no room for other critical expenditures. He questioned why the government would wait for a contract to be awarded before starting financing, and suggested inviting the private sector to shoulder part of the cost.
His remarks come after the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), the Pre‑Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG) and the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) suspended industrial action following a meeting with the Council of State. The unions had been striking over unpaid promotion arrears, deprived area allowances and other conditions of service.
Adutwum’s call for a different financing approach is aimed at freeing up public funds so that teachers’ dues can be paid without delay.
