The ongoing Accra-Kumasi Expressway project could reshape the economic connection between Ghana’s two biggest cities, making it easier and faster for traders, businesses and consumers to move between the country’s main commercial centres.
Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson said the project follows an entirely new route and is expected to cut journey time between Accra and Kumasi by 50%.
“The Accra-Kumasi Expressway follows an entirely new route and will ensure journey time is reduced by 50%,” Ato Forson said.
A shorter journey could have a direct effect on the thousands of businesses that depend on the Accra-Kumasi corridor to move goods and people. Accra and the Tema industrial area serve as major entry points for imported goods, while Kumasi acts as a key distribution centre for products moving into the Ashanti Region, the middle belt and northern Ghana.
That means a faster connection could change how quickly goods move from Accra’s wholesale and import markets to traders in Kumasi and beyond. A trader who travels to Accra to buy stock, for instance, could spend less time on the road and return to Kumasi earlier, while wholesalers could move goods between the two markets with fewer delays.
The benefit could also be felt by businesses in Kumasi that rely on supplies coming from Accra and Tema. Shorter delivery times would make it easier to restock shops, replenish warehouses and respond to customer demand, particularly for businesses dealing in fast-moving consumer goods.
Kumasi’s role as a major trading and redistribution center makes this important. The city’s Central Market and surrounding commercial areas account for a large share of its economic activity, while businesses in areas such as Adum and Asafo also serve customers from across the country. The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly says trade and commerce account for 38.4% of the metropolis’ working population.
The expressway could therefore strengthen the link between these businesses and suppliers in Accra and Tema, while making it easier for Kumasi-based firms to reach customers and markets further south.
Passenger travel could also change. Airfares on the Accra-Kumasi route have become costly for some travellers, making the road a more attractive option if the expressway can deliver the projected reduction in travel time.
A significantly shorter road journey could encourage some business travellers who currently fly to switch to buses or private cars, particularly when the cost difference is substantial. It could also make same-day business trips between Accra and Kumasi more practical.
The economic significance of the expressway, therefore, lies not only in cutting travel time but in making one of Ghana’s most important trade routes more efficient. Faster movement between Accra, Tema, Kumasi and the markets beyond could reduce the time it takes for goods to reach businesses and consumers while giving road transport a stronger role in business travel.
