accra-Tema Motorway: Utility relocation delays threaten August 2027 deadline

The Accra-Tema Motorway expansion project could face further delays if outstanding utility relocation works are not completed on time, Project Manager Benjamin Sackey has warned.

Mr Sackey said delays involving the relocation of electricity and water infrastructure had slowed construction activities and could jeopardise the project’s scheduled completion in August 2027.

The relocation of utility lines was expected to be completed within the first six months of the project, which commenced in August 2024. However, intermittent work by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has affected progress at construction sites.

According to the project manager, the prolonged interruptions have left significant relocation work outstanding, creating additional pressure on the construction schedule.

Mr Sackey disclosed that Ghana Water Company Limited was absent from the project site for approximately six months, while ECG’s relocation activities experienced an interruption lasting about eight months.

He said both agencies eventually returned to resume work but withdrew again after approximately three months because of challenges of their own.

The interruptions prompted the Ghana Highway Authority to intervene and address concerns raised by the utility companies before relocation activities could resume.

Mr Sackey acknowledged that the agencies had made progress since returning to the site but stressed that further work remained necessary.

“Since they came back this year, they have worked remarkably, but they are still on site. There is a lot of outstanding work we need to finish,” he said.

The outstanding utility works remain a concern because construction activities in affected sections of the motorway depend on the timely relocation of the existing infrastructure.

The 19.5-kilometre Accra-Tema Motorway expansion project began in August 2024 and is scheduled for completion in August 2027.

Valued at US$339 million, the project is intended to ease traffic congestion, improve urban mobility and strengthen trade connectivity along one of Ghana’s busiest transport corridors.

The expansion is expected to improve movement between Accra and Tema, where the motorway serves commuters, commercial vehicles and businesses connected to the Tema industrial and port areas.

However, construction is already slightly behind schedule, according to the project information provided, making the completion of outstanding utility relocation works an important factor in efforts to meet the deadline.

The project is being implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Roads and Highways and the Ghana Highway Authority.

A.T Expressway Limited is the concessionaire, while Maripoma Enterprise Limited is the engineering, procurement and construction contractor.

The Ghana Highway Authority’s intervention was aimed at resolving issues that had disrupted the utility relocation process and enabling the affected agencies to resume work.

The remaining challenge is to complete the outstanding relocation activities while maintaining progress on the wider motorway expansion.

The delays highlight the importance of coordination between road contractors and utility providers on major infrastructure projects.

Electricity and water lines often need to be moved or adjusted before construction can proceed in particular sections. Prolonged interruptions can therefore affect work schedules and place pressure on project delivery timelines.

With the August 2027 deadline approaching, sustained coordination among ECG, Ghana Water, the Ghana Highway Authority and the project contractors will be important to completing the outstanding works and limiting further delays.

Mr Sackey’s warning raises questions about whether the remaining utility relocation activities can be completed quickly enough to prevent further disruption to the overall construction programme.