The Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwame Governs Agbodza, has rejected allegations that the government engaged in widespread sole-sourcing of contracts under the “Big Push” infrastructure programme, insisting that all procurement processes complied with the law.
Delivering a statement in the Parliament of Ghana on Tuesday, the Minister described claims that over 70 percent of contracts were sole-sourced as false and misleading, stressing that only 44 percent of the major contracts were awarded through this method.
He stated that there is no abuse of the process, noting that more than 400 contracts under the initiative were actually awarded through open competitive bidding to ensure fairness.
The Big Push initiative, a flagship programme of President John Dramani Mahama, aims to rehabilitate and expand Ghana’s road infrastructure, improve economic corridors, and reduce the cost of doing business nationwide.
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According to the Minister, Parliament has so far approved nearly $50 billion for the multi-year programme, with over 2,000 kilometres of roads currently undergoing construction or rehabilitation across all 16 regions.
Agbodza explained that the scale and urgency of the programme required a mix of procurement methods, including sole-sourcing in specific instances to fast-track delivery and prevent significant cost overruns.
He noted that several projects inherited from previous administrations—valued at about GH¢14.8 billion, had stalled due to a lack of funding and were integrated into the Big Push programme for completion.
The Minister added that sole-sourcing is globally accepted under certain conditions, particularly when extending previously procured works or addressing urgent national needs.
To ensure value for money, Agbodza outlined several mechanisms introduced under the programme, including independent value-for-money assessments, stricter monitoring systems, and the involvement of local technical agencies in design and costing to save project costs.
The Minister revealed that allowing state agencies to handle design and costing has already saved at least five percent of project costs while instituting a system where no contractor is paid without verified work done.
Hon. Agbodza accused some analysts and online platforms of distorting data to create a false impression of wrongdoing, particularly claims that 76 percent of contracts were sole-sourced, calling such figures pure fabrications.
He further argued that the previous administration also relied heavily on sole-sourcing, noting that projects worth over GH¢110 billion inherited by the current government were largely procured through that specific method.
The Roads Minister maintained that the government has not abandoned any ongoing road project and has already paid more than GH¢11 billion to contractors to address inherited debts exceeding GH¢40 billion.
He assured Parliament that major projects such as the Suame Interchange and key trunk roads are progressing steadily and will be completed on schedule.
Agbodza assured that there is no scandal surrounding the Big Push, emphasizing that the programme is on track and will deliver safer roads and economic transformation for Ghanaians through transparent and legal infrastructure development.