By Anas Aremeyaw Anas
The Ofankor–Nsawam Road, one of Ghana’s most vital highways, has become the stage for a scandal that stinks of betrayal. Despite government clearing arrears owed to the contractor a staggering GHS809 million (approx. $77 million) the road lies abandoned, dusty, and dangerous. The contractor, Maripoma Enterprise Limited, has virtually vanished from site.
For a road that connects Accra to the Eastern Region, the neglect has become a national crisis. Angry commuters, frustrated business owners, and injured road users are left asking: Where has the money gone?
Evidence of Payment
Documents sighted by this paper reveal that the government paid Maripoma in full within the space of one week. The Controller and Accountant-General’s Department issued three separate instructions to the Bank of Ghana:
The Maripoma Money Trail
- 28th July 2025: GHS359,928,437.70 transferred to Maripoma’s account at Zenith Bank (UK).
- 31st July 2025: GHS100,000,000.00 transferred.
- 4th August 2025: GHS350,000,000.00 transferred.
All three directives, signed by Controller and Accountant General Kwasi Kwanin Agyei and copied to the Ministers of Finance and Roads & Highways, explicitly stated the funds were for the rehabilitation of the Nsawam–Ofankor Road.
In total, over GHS809 million left state coffers. Yet, weeks later, commuters see nothing but idle equipment, abandoned drains, and potholes.
A Road Paid For, But Not Built
If the contractor has been paid in full, why is the road still impassable? Community leaders are beginning to allege sabotage, suggesting Maripoma may be deliberately stalling to embarrass government.
Meanwhile, road users endure the brunt of neglect. “The road has become a death trap. We see accidents almost every day. How can over $77 million be paid and nothing gets done?” lamented a taxi driver during Saturday’s protest.
The Human Cost
Every day, the abandoned road inflicts economic and personal losses:
- Commercial drivers spend hours stuck in gridlock, losing income.
- Businesses report declining sales as transport costs soar.
- Accidents are now routine, with lives lost on a road already fully funded.
Protest and Ultimatum
Fed-up commuters took to the streets last weekend in Nsawam and Amasaman. Placards read:
- “Accidents Daily, How Many More?”
- “Accountability Missing!”
- “Years of Dust, Delays and Broken Promises.”
Jeffrey Smith, organiser of the Nsawam Traffic Watch Community, told Citi News:
“All we are asking is accountability. Where has the money gone? Why is the contractor not on site? Government cannot stay silent while lives are being destroyed on this road.”
Organisers have issued a warning: if rehabilitation works do not resume immediately, they will block the Accra–Nsawam road entirely on Thursday, August 21.
Silence from Authorities
So far, there has been no formal government response. Yet the transfer letters leave little room for denial: the money was released, signed off, and received.
This is no longer about potholes and dust. It is about accountability and the misuse of public funds.
The Bigger Question
If more than GHS809 million can vanish into a single contractor’s account with no visible work, what protections exist for taxpayers? What stops this from happening again?
Until answers are given, the dust-choked commuters of Ofankor, Amasaman, and Nsawam remain unwilling witnesses to one of Ghana’s most glaring cases of “money paid, but road not built.”
Maripoma enterprise works on road and civil engineering projects of various sizes throughout the country
founded by Mr. Ali Seidu – currently the Managing Director as a General Merchant, Building Construction, and Civil Engineering firm. In 1998, the Company was incorporated as a private limited liability company under the Companies Code 1963 (Act 179)
Maripoma Enterprise Limited is certified under Financial Class ‘D1’ and ‘K1’ by the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing – Registration No. 13413A and ‘A1’, ‘B1’, S1’, and L1 under the Ministry of Roads and Highways of Ghana.
Stay tuned