Less than half of the projects in the government’s major “Big Push” infrastructure initiative were given through sole-sourced contracts, according to Minister for Roads and Highways Kwame Agbodza.
Speaking to Parliament on Tuesday, March 24, the minister stated that only 44% of the initiative’s major contracts were sole-sourced. This is in contrast to claims that have been made public, such as a report by The Fourth Estate that suggested a widespread reliance on non-competitive procurement.
Concerns regarding transparency and potential cost inflation were raised by the report’s suggestion that 81 sole-sourced contracts worth more than GH¢73 billion were awarded in less than seven months.
However, given the scope and urgency of the projects, Mr. Agbodza informed MPs that the ministry had used a variety of procurement techniques in accordance with legal standards.
“Given the scale and importance of these projects, a mix of procurement processes was employed in accordance with the law,” he stated.
“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,” he continued.
The minister also revealed that open competitive bidding had been used to award over 400 contracts, which he called “unprecedented” in the industry.
He maintained that the data unequivocally demonstrates a substantial dependence on competitive mechanisms.
“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 stated.
According to Mr. Agbodza, some of the sole-sourced contracts were expansions of previously acquired projects, a tactic used to shorten delivery times and prevent delays brought on by restarting procurement procedures.
Additionally, he disclosed that 23 road projects totalling GH¢14.8 billion were completed through sole sourcing, arguing that the necessity of prompt completion of vital infrastructure justified such choices.
The explanation coincides with increased public scrutiny of the Big Push program’s procurement procedures, as the Minority in Parliament demands complete contract disclosure to improve accountability and transparency.
Source: newsthemegh.com