"Painfully Slow" — Upper West Coalition Warns Sawla-Wa Road Delay Could Define Mahama's Legacy

The Coalition of Concerned Citizens of the Upper West Region has renewed pressure on government over the "painfully slow" pace of reconstruction on the Sawla-Wa Road.

According to the coalition, the project could become a lasting stain on President John Dramani Mahama's legacy if not completed before he leaves office.

The Coalition of Concern Citizens in a statement issued on September 11, 2026 and signed by signed by Acting Secretary Mohammed Abdul-Basit, Convener Issahaque Suleman (Sulega), and Co-conveners Ishaq Awudulai and Eliasu Baba (BAHASS) said it remains "deeply disturbed" by the pace of work, four months after petitioning the Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwame Governs Agbodza, on May 5, 2026, for the immediate commencement of reconstruction on the Wenchi-Bole-Sawla-Wa corridor.

It acknowledged some progress since then, particularly between Sawla and Tuna, but said the overall pace remains unacceptable.

A key concern is a stark disparity in activity along the corridor — with the Savannah Region section reportedly seeing considerable work while the Upper West side sees "little or no significant work."

The group wants government to explain whether differences in contracts, funding or resource mobilisation account for the gap, citing a firsthand tour of Kulmasa, Tuna, Blema and Sawla on May 9, 2026.

The coalition also flagged unclear funding arrangements for the Wa-Sawla stretch specifically, despite government linking the broader corridor to its "Big Push" programme. It wants to know whether contractor Seidu Ali has been adequately resourced, what monitoring is in place, and when residents can expect visible progress on the Wa town-Nyoli stretch.

The group placed ultimate responsibility on the Mahama administration, noting the President cut the sod for the 195-kilometre road and promised completion in two years. It warned that failure to complete the National Route N12 before he leaves office would mark his presidency as "a spectacular failure" on the issue.

The coalition appealed to youth, traditional rulers, the Upper West Parliamentary Caucus, the Regional Minister and the President himself to sustain pressure for the road's completion, and called for closer monitoring by the Ghana Highway Authority's Upper West Office, the Regional Coordinating Council and MMDCEs.