Accra: Popular political activist Frank Kwaku Appiah, popularly known as Appiah Stadium, clashed with former Minister of Roads and Highways, Francis Asenso-Boakye, over comments regarding former President John Dramani Mahama. During a recorded phone conversation, Appiah Stadium, a staunch supporter of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), expressed his anger at Asenso-Boakye for what he perceived as unfair criticism of Mahama's administration.
According to Ghana Web, the incident unfolded as Appiah Stadium was seen in a video holding a phone and passionately accusing Asenso-Boakye of bias against Mahama. Appiah Stadium vehemently criticized Asenso-Boakye, stating, "I will fire you and tell you my mind because you are going wayward. And I am telling you that I am coming to insult you. You are not the right person to criticise President Mahama." He further questioned the achievements of Asenso-Boakye during his ministerial tenure, contrasting them with what he perceived as Mahama's superior accomplishments.
The confrontation comes in the wake of Asenso-Boakye's recent accusations against the government for allegedly attempting to shortchange the residents of Kumasi by reducing the scope of the Suame Interchange project. Speaking on Asempa FM's Ekosii Sen show, Asenso-Boakye explained that the original plan for the interchange was a four-tier structure intended to alleviate severe traffic congestion in Kumasi. However, he claimed the current government aims to downgrade it to a two-tier interchange due to financial constraints.
Asenso-Boakye expressed concerns that the revised design would not adequately address the traffic issues in Kumasi, a city experiencing rapid growth. He highlighted that the project had initially been financed through a loan agreement with a Spanish bank, approved by Parliament. However, funding challenges arose during a debt restructuring period, leading to the withdrawal of resources.
The former minister mentioned that the previous government later secured alternative funding from Afreximbank, which enabled construction to resume, with approximately 56 percent of the project completed by 2024. Asenso-Boakye attributed delays in the project to variations on the ground, particularly the relocation of major pipelines beneath the interchange.
Despite being listed as a flagship infrastructure initiative by the current government, Asenso-Boakye expressed concern over the lack of funds to complete the Suame Interchange as originally designed.