President Mahama unveils major road infrastructure boost for Western North Region under ‘Big Push'
This will be carried out under his flagship 'Big Push Infrastructure Programme', a $10 billion initiative aimed at significantly improving national connectivity and economic development.
Addressing a durbar of enthusiastic chiefs and people in Juaboso, as part of his ongoing nationwide 'Thank You Tour', President Mahama directly responded to a heartfelt appeal from the Western North Regional House of Chiefs.
The Chiefs had passionately articulated the pressing need for improved road networks, emphasising that their overwhelming support for him and the NDC in the 2024 elections was a clear demonstration of their profound trust in his leadership.
'I have heard your concerns about the roads connecting our farming communities and our markets,' President Mahama stated, acknowledging the region's vital role in the national economy. 'These roads are crucial arteries for moving cocoa, timber, food products, and people across our country. They are not a luxury; they are a fundamental necessity.'
The President assured the gathering that many of these crucial arteries, including vital cocoa roads that had previously experienced delays, will now undergo accelerated completion and new development as part of the ambitious 'Big Push' Programme.
'I assure you that these critical projects have been fully captured under our transformative $10 billion Big Push Infrastructure Programme,' he reiterated.
Detailing the scope of this unprecedented commitment, President Mahama explained, 'The 'Big Push' is a strategic commitment to inject at least $2 billion annually into infrastructure development, with its rollout commencing robustly in the 2025 national budget.'
He further added, 'We are dedicating substantial resources and deploying expert technical teams to ensure these roads are completed on schedule, transforming the landscape for our farmers, traders, and communities across the Western North Region.'
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency, Republic of Ghana.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Zawya
2 hours ago
- Zawya
G20 finance chiefs back central banks' independence as they seal communique
Finance chiefs from the Group of 20 countries stressed the importance of central bank independence in a communique issued on Friday following a two-day meeting in South Africa's coastal city of Durban. The ministers and central bankers pledged to boost cooperation as they sealed their first communique since October 2024, a month before President Donald Trump's election victory and subsequent tariff war. The issue of central bank independence hung heavily over the meeting following Trump's repeated berating of U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell for not cutting interest rates, attacks that have roiled global financial markets. The communique was reached in the absence of U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent from the two-day meeting, though Washington was represented by Michael Kaplan, acting under secretary of the Treasury for international affairs. Bessent also skipped the previous G20 finance chiefs' gathering in Cape Town in February, even though Washington is due to assume the G20's rotating presidency in December. "Central banks are strongly committed to ensuring price stability, consistent with their respective mandates, and will continue to adjust their policies in a data-dependent manner. Central bank independence is crucial to achieving this goal," the communique said. South Africa's deputy finance minister David Masondo told reporters that the meeting outcomes contained in the communique were "consented to by all members" and centred on "strategic macroeconomic issues". The communique also recognised "the importance of the World Trade Organisation to advance trade issues", while adding the body needed reform. The agreement is seen as an achievement even though communiques issued by the G20, which emerged as a forum for cooperation to combat the 2008 global financial crisis, are non-binding. G20 finance ministers failed to reach a joint stance when they met in February, to the dismay of hosts South Africa. South Africa, under its presidency's motto "Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability", has aimed to promote an African agenda, with topics including the high cost of capital and funding for climate change action. The finance ministers and central bank governors said in Friday's communique that they were committed to addressing debt vulnerabilities in low- and middle-income countries in an effective, comprehensive and systematic manner. (Reporting by Olivia Kumwenda-Mtambo, Kopano Gumbi, Colleen Goko, Philip Blenkinsop, Maria Martinez in Durban and Andrea Shalal in Washington; Writing by Philip Blenkinsop and Emelia Sithole-Matarise; Editing by Rachna Uppal and Joe Bavier)

Zawya
3 hours ago
- Zawya
South Africa: Deputy President Mashatile concludes Working Visit to China
Deputy President Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile has today, Friday, 18 July 2025, concluded a successful Working Visit to the People's Republic of China, aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and economic cooperation between South Africa and China. At the invitation of the Chairman of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), Mr Ren Hongbin, the Deputy President participated in the third China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE), taking place from 16 - 20 July 2025 in Beijing, China. CISCE is the world's first national-level expo dedicated to global supply chains, hosted under the auspices of the Chinese central government and organised by the CCPIT. The Deputy President used South Africa's participation at CISCE as a strategic opportunity to advance the South-Africa China All-Round Strategic Cooperative Partnership in the New Era. This also reinforced South Africa's role as a key gateway to Sub-Saharan Africa for trade, investment and industrial cooperation. During the Expo, the Deputy President officially launched the South African National Pavilion. The Pavilion showcased over 30 South African entities from a variety of sectors including Agro-Processing, Electronics, Chemicals, Leather, Footwear and Textiles, Cosmetics, Mining Services, and the creative industries. The opening of the 2025 South African National Pavilion is a focused response to resolutions made at the FOCAC in Beijing in 2024. This is significant in that it demonstrates how South Africa is an important trade partner to China. During the Working Visit, the Deputy President held a bilateral meeting with Vice President Han Zheng of the People's Republic of China. Vice President Zheng expressed confidence in the South African Government and emphasised the importance of strengthening existing cooperation. He further reiterated China's support for South Africa's Presidency of the G20. The Deputy President expressed appreciation for China's longstanding partnership and extended an invitation to Vice President Zheng to visit South Africa to co-chair the 9th South Africa-China Bi-National Commission at a mutually agreeable date early in 2026. Deputy President Mashatile also met with Mr Ren Hongbin, Chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), where he emphasised the significance of the Expo in South Africa's efforts to advance the promotion of trade, investment cooperation, the growth of innovation, and the encouragement of learning and interchange. In an effort to strengthen bilateral economic relations and explore strategic investment opportunities across key sectors, the Deputy President had the opportunity to experience some of the fascinating work being done by companies such as SINOMA international engineering company, the China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) and the Beijing Automotive International Corporation (BAIC). Furthermore, the Deputy President's engagement with the ICBC&Standard Bank and the South-Africa China Business Forum demonstrated the commitment to strengthening Africa-China Relations. Deputy President Mashatile was accompanied by the Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ms Thandi Moraka; the Minister of Small Business Development, Ms Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams; Minister of Tourism, Ms Patricia de Lille; Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Mr Parks Tau; Minister of Water and Sanitation, Ms Pemmy Majodina; and Minister of Agriculture, Mr John Steenhuisen. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa.


Zawya
3 hours ago
- Zawya
Nigeria: Credit Ratings reflect our strong financial position—Odu'a Investment boss
The Group Chairman of Odu'a Investment Company Limited (OICL), Chief Bimbo Ashiru, has described the recent upgrade of the company's corporate credit rating to 'Aa-' by Agusto & Co. as a reflection of the strong financial position, operational resilience, and sound governance structure it has consistently upheld. Ashiru, who made these remarks at the Ground-Breaking Ceremony of the redevelopment of Obafemi Awolowo House into Awolowo Technology Mall, in Lagos, believed the rating was also a testament to the confidence reposed in the company's strategic direction, and a reinforcement of its credibility before its stakeholders, partners, and the financial markets. The two-term Commissioner for Commerce and Industry in Ogun State also used the opportunity of the event to restate the Group's resolve at preserving its heritage and repositioning its assets for relevance and value in the current and future marketplace. According to him, the transformation and redevelopment of the 47-year-old Awolowo House into a five-storey ultra-modern technology mall, was one of the company's ways of aligning its legacy with the future, and ensuring that what was once iconic remains impactful. The OICL boss described the project as the outcome of the company's strategic shift from passive asset management to proactive, value-driven real estate investment, under the leadership of its flagship real estate subsidiary, Wemabod Limited. 'The Awolowo Tech Mall, when completed, will serve as a catalyst for commercial activities in the Ikeja Central Business District and a launchpad for youth innovation, business incubation, and technology-driven enterprise. It is, in every sense, a project that aligns with our investment philosophy—sustainable, inclusive, and impact-oriented,' he added. In his remarks at the event, the CEO, Wemabod Nigeria, Bashir Oladunni, explained that the redevelopment became imperative to enable the company to align with the urban infrastructure efforts of the Lagos State government, which, he noted, that continued to evolve. He added that with the new planning permissions and the repositioning of Ikeja Central Business District, the company, in partnership with El-Salem Nigeria Limited, would be transforming the historic site into a 21st-Century digital and commercial powerhouse. Bashir described the new structure, which would, more than double the commercial space from 4,800 sqm to approximately 9,000 sqm, as aligning with Wemabod's strategic direction to increase market share and contribute meaningfully to the state's economic development. Copyright © 2022 Nigerian Tribune Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (