A political commentator has backed the government’s decision to build the Suame Interchange in Kumasi as a three-tier structure, warning that insisting on a four-tier design would trigger compensation costs that could drain construction funds and compromise the final project.
Otuo Acheampong Frank, speaking on Angel FM in Kumasi, acknowledged ongoing development activity in the Ashanti Region but said practical financial considerations must guide decisions on major infrastructure.
“If the NDC tries to build the Suame Interchange in the four-tier, we will end up paying compensation,” he said. “If we take some of the money designated for the road to pay compensations, we will not get enough money to complete the road, which will also affect the quality.”
He argued that the three-tier approach was the pragmatic choice, with savings potentially redirected to other road needs in the region. “That is why we are doing it as a three-tier, and if some money is left, it can be used to construct other main roads in the region,” he said.
His comments reflect and amplify the position of Roads and Highways Minister Governs Kwame Agbodza, who in February 2026 confirmed the project had been modified from the original four-tier design to a three-tier interchange. The minister explained that the north-south leg of the original four-tier design would have affected major properties including the Garden City Mall, the Suame Police Station, and several commercial buildings not budgeted under the project, with a rough estimate of compensation and demolition costs projected to exceed 50 percent of the actual construction cost. The minister said the revised design, combined with the construction of the Kumasi Outer Ring Road, would more comprehensively address traffic challenges across the greater Kumasi metropolis, and that the project is expected to be completed by 2027.
Work on the stalled project resumed in early April 2026 after the government cleared outstanding payments owed to contractors dating back to 2024.
Frank also framed the development debate in broader political terms, saying the NDC’s ability to deliver in the Ashanti Region would be decisive for the party’s standing there. “If the NDC develops the Ashanti Region, it will go a long way to help the party, but vice versa will repel people,” he warned.
He cited several ongoing projects as evidence of current government activity in the region. “They have started Phase Two of the Kejetia Market, Krofuom Market is under construction, Ahodwo projects are ongoing, and the Suame Interchange will soon start,” he said.
The NPP’s Ashanti Caucus in Parliament has strongly opposed the tier reduction, with Bantama Member of Parliament Francis Asenso-Boakye describing the decision as technically indefensible and warning that altering the configuration at this stage would require design revisions, risk delays, cost overruns, and contractual complications. The sod for the four-tier design was cut in October 2022 under the previous NPP administration.
