• Ghana, JICA discuss road, bridge projects at IMF-World Bank meetings
• Kumasi Ring Road grant secured; talks focused on implementation timelines
• Projects expected to save $11 million annually in travel costs

Ghana's Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson held talks with officials from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on the sidelines of the IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington. The discussions centered on two flagship projects, the Kumasi Inner Ring Road and the Volivo Bridge, which are expected to generate up to $11 million annually in time and travel cost savings.

For the Kumasi Inner Ring Road, discussions seem to have focused primarily on implementation progress and execution timelines rather than securing new funding. The financing had already been secured: a grant agreement worth ¥2.96 billion (approximately $20 million) was signed earlier in 2025, suggesting the Washington meeting was operational in nature rather than a funding milestone.

The project targets one of Ghana's most critical urban transport bottlenecks. JICA's feasibility analysis projects annual economic benefits of approximately $10.7 million, including $6.67 million in travel time savings and $4.06 million in vehicle operating cost reductions, driven by improved traffic flow, higher speeds, reduced fuel consumption and lower vehicle maintenance costs.

Physically, the works focus on upgrading the Santasi and Ahodwo intersections and dualizing a key stretch of the Inner Ring Road, sections that have become choke points due to rapid urban growth. The scope includes road widening, drainage improvements and traffic system installations, with an estimated implementation period of 39 months.

The project's significance extends well beyond Kumasi. The Inner Ring Road connects the N6 and N8 highways, which form part of the Takoradi/Tema Ports–Ouagadougou corridor, a major freight artery linking Ghana's seaports to landlocked Sahel countries. This corridor is also integrated into the West Africa Growth Ring, a regional transport network spanning Côte d'Ivoire, Togo and Burkina Faso. By relieving congestion at these nodes, the project is expected to improve freight throughput and reduce transit times across the subregion. It also complements the planned Boankra Inland Port, which will serve as a key hub connecting Ghana's seaports to domestic and regional markets.

Japan has been a long-standing partner in Ghana's transport sector through JICA, supporting projects aimed at improving mobility and strengthening trade infrastructure. For instance, JICA financed the construction of the Tema Motorway Roundabout Phase II Interchange (often referred to as the Tema flyover), a major grade-separated junction on the Accra–Tema corridor. Completed in 2020, the project was designed to ease congestion on one of the country’s busiest urban and freight routes, improving traffic flow between the port of Tema and inland corridors.