The Minister for Roads and Highways, Governs Kwame Agbodza, has rejected claims that the government’s flagship “Big Push” infrastructure programme is dominated by sole-sourced contracts, insisting that less than half of the projects were awarded through that method.
Addressing Parliament on Tuesday, March 24, the minister said only 44 per cent of major contracts under the initiative were sole-sourced, contrary to allegations circulating in the public domain, including a report by The Fourth Estate which suggested widespread reliance on non-competitive procurement.
The report had claimed that 81 sole-sourced contracts valued at more than GH¢73 billion were awarded within seven months, raising concerns about transparency and possible cost inflation.
Mr Agbodza, however, told lawmakers that the ministry had adopted a mix of procurement methods in line with legal requirements, given the scale and urgency of the projects. “Given the scale and importance of these projects, a mix of procurement processes was employed in accordance with the law,” he said.
He added: “It is important to note that only 44% of all the major contracts under the Big Push project were awarded by the ministry under sole sourcing, not what has been published by a certain online portal.”
The minister further disclosed that more than 400 contracts had been awarded through open competitive bidding, which he described as unprecedented in the sector. He argued that the data clearly shows a significant reliance on competitive processes.
“We have also awarded over 400 contracts under open competitive bidding. Records show that from 2017 to 2024, almost all the projects carried out by the ministry were sole-sourced. It is therefore mischievous for any right-thinking member of society to conclude that the Ministry of Roads and Highways only procures works through sole-sourcing,” he said.
Mr Agbodza explained that some of the sole-sourced contracts were extensions of previously procured projects, a strategy intended to accelerate delivery timelines and avoid delays associated with restarting procurement processes.
He also revealed that 23 road projects were undertaken through sole sourcing at a total cost of GH¢14.8 billion, maintaining that such decisions were justified by the need for timely execution of critical infrastructure.
The clarification comes amid heightened public scrutiny over procurement practices under the Big Push programme, with the Minority in Parliament calling for full disclosure of contract details to enhance transparency and accountability.
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