Roads and Highways Minister, Hon. Kwame Governs Agbodza, has dismissed claims that the government’s Big Push Infrastructure Programme is dominated by sole sourcing, insisting that all contracts under the initiative have been awarded in full compliance with Ghana’s procurement laws.
Addressing Parliament earlier today, the Minister described allegations of widespread sole sourcing as misleading and unfounded. He stated that only 44 percent of major contracts, including those under the Big Push, were procured through sole sourcing, while over 400 contracts have been awarded through open competitive tendering. He stressed that it is inaccurate to suggest that the Ministry relies primarily on sole sourcing.
Hon. Agbodza explained that the government adopted a mix of procurement methods, as permitted by law, to respond to the urgent need to fix Ghana’s deteriorating road network. According to him, relying solely on prolonged procurement processes would have delayed critical projects and increased costs.
He further disclosed that 23 abandoned road projects valued at GHS 14.88 billion, inherited from the previous administration, have been integrated into the Big Push programme and provided with dedicated funding. These include major projects such as the Suame Interchange, Ofankor Nsawam Road, and Adenta Dodowa Road. He noted that many of these projects would still be stalled without the current approach.
The Minister indicated that the programme is structured around 12 key economic corridors, broken into 54 lots to promote competition and accelerate delivery. He added that over 2,000 kilometres of roads across all 16 regions are currently under construction or rehabilitation.
On value for money, Hon. Agbodza outlined safeguards put in place to ensure cost efficiency and quality delivery. These include government led survey, design, and costing of projects, followed by independent value for money assessments of contractor proposals. He also noted the introduction of stricter monitoring systems to ensure payments are made strictly for work completed.
He rejected criticisms based on “cost per kilometre” comparisons, stating that such claims fail to account for differences in project scope, engineering requirements, and additional infrastructure such as interchanges and bridges.
The Minister emphasized that the programme is subject to continuous parliamentary scrutiny, with regular questions, committee engagements, and independent validation of project costs by professional bodies.
He also pointed to inherited challenges, noting that projects awarded in 2024 often lacked proper financial commitment and competitive procurement processes, contributing to arrears of over GHS 40 billion. He disclosed that government has so far paid more than GHS 11 billion to clear part of these obligations.
Reaffirming his position, Hon. Agbodza stated that there has been no breach of procurement laws and no abuse of sole sourcing under the Big Push programme, describing it as the exception rather than the norm.
He urged Parliament and the public to support the initiative, cautioning against misinformation that could undermine what he described as a critical national programme aimed at improving road infrastructure, reducing transport costs, and boosting economic activity.
“The Big Push is delivering real results across the country,” he said, calling for broad national backing to sustain its momentum.
Source:www.kumasimail.com
