Policy think tank CUTS International has called on the Government to increase funding for road maintenance in the upcoming Mid-Year Budget Review, warning that extensive damage caused by this year’s heavy rains is placing a growing burden on commuters, businesses and the wider economy.
The organisation said deteriorating road conditions across the country, including deep potholes, eroded road surfaces, damaged bridges and blocked drainage systems, were increasing transport costs, damaging vehicles and disrupting the movement of people and goods.
According to CUTS, while road maintenance activities are generally more effective during the dry season, the severity of the current situation requires immediate intervention.
“Every day, ordinary Ghanaians are paying the price for bad roads. They spend more time in traffic, pay more to fix their cars, use more fuel and face higher risks on the road,” said Mr Appiah Kusi Adomako, Director of the West Africa Regional Centre of CUTS International in Accra.
The think tank cautioned that temporary pothole patching would not provide a lasting solution, noting that poor drainage systems, weak road foundations and recurring flooding continue to damage the same road sections.
It therefore called for sustained investment in road rehabilitation, drainage infrastructure, bridge repairs and stronger supervision of road construction works.
While commending the Government’s “Big Push” infrastructure agenda and ongoing road construction projects, CUTS stressed that new roads should not come at the expense of maintaining existing road networks.
According to the organisation, preserving existing roads remains one of the most cost-effective ways of protecting public investment and ensuring efficient transportation.
“As government pursues its Big Push in road construction, we must remember that a road network is only as strong as its weakest link. We cannot build new roads with one hand and allow older roads to collapse with the other,” Mr Adomako stated.
CUTS acknowledged the allocation of approximately GH¢3 billion to the Ghana Road Maintenance Trust Fund in the 2026 Budget but argued that the scale of damage caused by the rains warranted additional resources through the Mid-Year Budget Review.
The organisation warned that failure to invest adequately in road maintenance today would ultimately impose higher costs on motorists, businesses, farmers, traders and households through increased transport fares, vehicle repairs, lost productivity and avoidable accidents.
The think tank also called for greater support for Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to enable them respond quickly to road and bridge failures within their jurisdictions.
It further urged the Ministry of Roads and Highways to resolve outstanding issues surrounding the suspended National Roads Authority Act, 2024 (Act 1118), arguing that the continued suspension of the law weakens decentralised road management and delays timely interventions.
CUTS additionally appealed to the Government to fast-track the reintroduction of road tolls through a modern, technology-driven collection system.
It noted that road tolls remain an important source of funding for road maintenance and that their suspension in 2021 deprived the sector of a critical revenue stream.
The organisation maintained that revenues generated from tolls should be dedicated directly to road maintenance and managed transparently to ensure visible improvements across the country’s road network.
CUTS concluded by urging the Government to use the Mid-Year Budget Review to demonstrate a clear commitment to protecting road infrastructure, preserving existing road assets and reducing the growing burden on road users.
