Former Deputy Minister of Roads and Highways, Francis Asenso-Boakye, has urged Majority Members of Parliament to heed his “words of wisdom” rather than resort to heckling as he addressed delays surrounding the Accra–Kumasi bypass project.
During Thursday’s parliamentary proceedings, Asenso-Boakye expressed frustration with the stalled infrastructure, questioning why the government was yet to complete bypasses that could potentially cut travel time between Accra and Kumasi by up to three hours.
“Mr. Speaker, what stops the government from completing these bypasses that will reduce the travel time from Accra to Kumasi by three hours?” he asked.
As interruptions from MPs mounted, Asenso-Boakye stood firm, appealing for a more constructive dialogue.
“Will you listen to me? Listen to sense, wisdom. Listen to wisdom. Listen to words of wisdom and stop the heckling,” he declared.
His use of the phrase “listen to sense” drew a cautionary response from the Speaker, prompting the former minister to retract and clarify his remarks.
“What I mean is that they should listen to words of wisdom… Mr. Speaker, I withdraw ‘listening to sense.’ Thank you very much,” the former roads and highways minister stated.
He also challenged the Ministry’s latest proposal for a “safe lane expressway,” arguing it diverges significantly from interventions initiated under the previous administration.
Asenso-Boakye stressed that continued delays in completing the project compromise the efficiency of transportation networks and hinder economic productivity.
The Accra–Kumasi highway remains one of Ghana’s busiest and most vital transit corridors.
Calls for the completion of the bypass have intensified from both citizens and policymakers, citing frequent gridlock, extended travel times, and mounting road safety concerns.
SA/EB
