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Government to use petroleum revenue to fund Accra-Kumasi expressway – Ato Forson

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Finance Minister, Cassiel Ato Forson, says government will no longer borrow money to finance the Accra-Kumasi Expressway project, as it plans to use petroleum revenues and mineral royalties to fund major infrastructure projects.
Speaking at the Ishmael Yamson and Associates Business Roundtable held on Thursday at the Kempiski Gold Coast Hotel, Dr. Forson said the decision forms part of government’s “Big Push” agenda aimed at improving road infrastructure across the country.
According to him, government has earmarked about 4.5 billion cedis in this year’s budget for road infrastructure development, with a strong focus on major projects.
He explained that in the past, oil revenues were spread across several activities that did not directly support infrastructure development.
“We have changed the law. We have said that Ghana’s oil revenue should only be used for infrastructure projects,” he stated.
Dr. Forson said government now intends to dedicate petroleum revenues to one major project over a fixed period to ensure prudent use of state resources.
He disclosed that government raised nearly 500 million dollars from oil revenues last year and secured another 500 million dollars from mineral royalties following the rise in global gold prices.
According to him, the two revenue sources provided about one billion dollars, which is being used to finance the Accra-Kumasi Expressway project.
The Finance Minister noted that government expects to generate an additional 1.5 billion dollars this year, bringing the total available funds for the project to about 2.5 billion dollars over two years.
He said the Accra-Kumasi Expressway is expected to cost about 4 billion dollars, adding that government plans to fully finance the project without borrowing.
“We will fund it without borrowing,” he stressed.
Dr. Forson criticised past spending practices, saying portions of oil revenue were previously used for activities such as travel, conferences and other recurrent expenses instead of development projects.
He said government has stopped such practices and will instead focus on major infrastructure projects that will benefit the country in the long term.
According to him, after the completion of the Accra-Kumasi Expressway, government will identify another major infrastructure project for funding through the same approach.
By: Jacob Aggrey
News
Police arrest former boxer Ayitey Powers over alleged death threat on NSA boss

The Accra Regional Police Command has arrested former professional boxer Michael Ayitey Okai, popularly known as “Ayitey Powers,” over an alleged threat of death against the Director-General of the National Sports Authority, Yaw Ampofo.
According to the Police, the 46-year-old former boxer was arrested on Monday, August 24, 2026, in connection with the alleged threat.
The Police said the arrest followed a video circulating on social media in which Ayitey Powers is alleged to have issued the threat against Mr Ampofo.
He is currently in Police custody and is assisting with investigations.
The Accra Regional Police Command said investigations are ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding the alleged threat and determine the appropriate action to be taken in accordance with the law.
The Command has urged the public to refrain from sharing unverified information about the matter while the investigation continues.
By: Jacob Aggrey
News
Afenyo Markin sues Sammy Gyamfi, Multimedia for alleged defamation

Minority Leader in Parliament Alexander Afenyo Markin has sued the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Sammy Gyamfi, and Multimedia Group Limited over alleged defamatory comments made against him on the Newsfile programme.
In a writ filed at the High Court in Accra, Mr Afenyo Markin is seeking GH¢15 million in damages, an apology and retraction of the statements, among other reliefs.
The suit follows comments allegedly made by Mr Gyamfi during the Saturday, August 22, 2026 edition of Newsfile, hosted by Samson Lardy Anyenini.
According to the statement of claim, Mr Gyamfi described Mr Afenyo Markin as an “extortionist” while responding to a question about GoldBod’s reported profits and its position on losses arising from its operations.
The plaintiff claims that Mr Gyamfi repeated the allegation when the host sought clarification on whether he stood by the description.
Mr Afenyo Markin further claims that Mr Gyamfi challenged him to sue him and insisted that the allegation was true.
The plaintiff argues that the statements created the impression that he engages in extortion, uses his political influence to put improper pressure on public institutions and officials, and conducts himself in a manner inconsistent with the standards expected of a lawyer and public office holder.
He denies the allegations and maintains that he is not an extortionist and has never engaged in the conduct alleged by Mr Gyamfi.
The Minority Leader also argues that the comments were made maliciously and were presented as facts without evidence being disclosed.
He claims the statements have damaged his reputation, professional standing and public image, particularly because of his position as a senior political figure and legal practitioner.
The suit also names Multimedia Group Limited as a defendant because, according to the plaintiff, the alleged defamatory comments were broadcast through JoyNews and subsequently circulated on social media platforms, including X, Facebook and YouTube.
Mr Afenyo Markin claims Multimedia failed to stop the comments or deactivate Mr Gyamfi’s microphone after the allegations were made.
He is therefore asking the court to award him general, aggravated and exemplary damages, as well as GH¢15 million in compensation and legal costs.
He is also seeking an order compelling the defendants to issue a full, unconditional and unequivocal retraction and public apology.
The plaintiff wants the apology and retraction to be given similar prominence and reach as the original publication, including through JoyNews and the social media platforms where the comments were disseminated.
He is further seeking a permanent injunction preventing the defendants from repeating the alleged defamatory statements or words with a similar meaning.
The writ requires the defendants to enter an appearance within eight days after being served.
It warns that failure to do so could result in judgment being entered in their absence.
The case was filed by lawyer Paa Kwesi Abaidoo of Dehyena Chambers on behalf of Mr Afenyo Markin.
By: Jacob Aggrey








