Minister for Roads and Highways, Hon. Governs Kwame Agbodza, has inaugurated the maiden Board of Trustees of the newly established Road Maintenance Trust Fund (RMTF), marking what he described as a historic shift toward transparency, accountability, and equitable road maintenance across Ghana.
The Trust Fund, established under Act 1147 in 2025, replaces the old Road Fund, which operated without strong statutory safeguards or direct parliamentary oversight, often resulting in unfair, discretionary allocation of resources.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony in Accra, Hon. Agbodza emphasized that the RMTF represents a major reform in Ghana’s road financing framework.
“In the past, the Road Fund existed purely under the Minister and Chief Director. It could happen that in a year, some parts of the country never saw any significant expenditure simply because the use of the fund was so discretionary,” he said.
He assured that the new system guarantees fair and predictable maintenance allocations.
“From now, every constituency in Ghana will see an amount of money allocated for minimum road maintenance activity. It can never happen again that a district will say nothing happened in their area,” he emphasized.
Hon. Agbodza revealed that the Fund begins operations at a challenging time, with over GH¢8 billion in outstanding certificates awaiting payment, against an expected annual accrual of only GH¢2–2.5 billion.
“With this level of accruals, you cannot pay every contractor. Many have worked genuinely and raised certificates,” he said.
An independent audit of all outstanding certificates is underway, and the first batch of verified payments is expected soon.
The Minister further announced that over 60 districts have been identified as having severely deteriorated roads. The Fund will complement government resources to ensure those communities receive urgent attention.
He also pledged renewed support for small and medium contractors (SMCs), many of whom have not been paid since 2019.
“SMCs are the ones who clear drains, seal culverts, patch potholes, and keep the sides of our village roads safe. They have historically received less. We encourage you to prioritise paying SMCs,” he said, assuring them of a better Christmas.
Hon. Agbodza explained that unlike some statutory funds, the RMTF cannot award contracts. Its mandate is strictly limited to paying for eligible maintenance works executed by the three road agencies Highways, Urban Roads, and Feeder Roads.
“This is not a fund to fix your friends. It is not a fund to make your family happy. It is a fund to fix the roads in our country,” he stated.
In his remarks, Hon. Isaac Adjei Mensah, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, expressed profound gratitude to President John Dramani Mahama for entrusting them with a critical national mandate.
“This occasion marks an important milestone in our national journey toward building a reliable, safe, and sustainable road network,” he said.
He stressed that Ghana has invested billions of cedis in road construction over the years, but without consistent maintenance, these investments deteriorate, resulting in higher rehabilitation costs and endangering lives and livelihoods.
“The establishment of the Road Maintenance Trust Fund is both timely and visionary. It represents a renewed national commitment to protect our road assets, ensure value for money, and support economic growth across all districts and regions,” he stated.
Hon. Adjei Mensah highlighted that the board aims to set a new benchmark in public fund management:
“We are here to demonstrate that Ghana can maintain its roads in a disciplined, efficient, and transparent manner. Every cedi allocated to road maintenance must reach its intended destination and deliver visible results.”
He assured the public that the Fund will remain accountable to the government, Parliament, and the Ghanaian people.
Board of Trustees Members
Hon. Isaac Adjei Mensah MP – Chairman
Mr. Courage Kwabena Barlon – RMTF Administrator
Ing. Samuel Kwasi Akuaku – Ministry of Roads and Highways
Mrs. Leona Serwah Johnson-Abassah – Office of the Attorney General
Mr. Richard Fedieley – Ministry of Transport
Dr. Grace Fedelia Annan – Ministry of Finance
Hon. Ernest Henry Norgbey MP – Presidential Nominee
Mamaga Sename III – Presidential Nominee
Mrs. Victoria Kuma Mintah – Presidential Nominee
Mr. Amin Abdul Rahaman – Ministry of Local Government
Hon. Alidu Iddrisu Zakari – Civil Society Representative (Road Infrastructure)
Mr. Stephen Kwaku Attatsi – Association of Road Contractors
Sawla Wura Iddrisu Abdulai Nugbaso – Road User Representative
Surv. Rev. Allan Okomeng-Mensah – Ghana Institute of Surveyors
Ing. Godwin Joseph Brocke – Ghana Institution of Engineering
Story by Osman Issah Abadoo
