Government Secures ¥3 Billion Japanese Grant to Transform Kumasi Inner Ring Road
JHNews || Government trumpets a ¥3bn JICA grant as a road “breakthrough” for Kumasi, but the truth is brutal: Ghana still relies on foreign handouts to patch basic infrastructure while our leaders waste billions elsewhere.
HENRY GERCHI 
Accra, October 2025 — The Ghanaian government has sealed a ¥3 billion Japanese Yen grant (about USD $20 million) with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to upgrade the Inner Ring Road in Kumasi. The agreement was formalized in Accra on October 2, with Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson signing on behalf of Ghana.
The Inner Ring Road serves as a key artery in Kumasi, linking the N6 and N8 highways, and forms part of the Takoradi/Tema Ports–Ouagadougou transport corridor. Rapid increase in traffic over recent years has turned sections of this road into major choke points, causing delays, congestion, and safety concerns for both commuters and freight operators.
Scope & Components of the Project
According to official sources, the project will include:
- Widening a 3.2-kilometre stretch between the Santasi and Ahodwo Roundabouts.
- Upgrading intersections with modern traffic signals.
- Improving pedestrian facilities, drainage systems, and overall road safety features.
- Enhancing connectivity between Santasi Roundabout and the N8, helping smooth traffic flow.
The project has a planned implementation period of 39 months, which includes detailed design work and procurement. The executing agency is the Department of Urban Roads under the Ministry of Roads and Highways.
Expected Benefits & Wider Context
- Travel speeds on the upgraded stretch are expected to more than triple, while journey times and delays, especially for freight transport, should be drastically reduced.
- The improved road will ease movement of goods and people, enhance urban mobility, and boost economic activity in Kumasi and its surrounding communities.
- This road overhaul forms part of a broader infrastructure agenda in the Ashanti Region that includes projects like the Suame Interchange, the Konongo Bypass, and plans for a 45-kilometre Kumasi Outer Ring Road.
