The Minister for Roads and Highways, Hon. Kwame Governs Agbodza, has rejected claims that the government’s Big Push Infrastructure Programme is dominated by sole sourcing, insisting that all contracts have been awarded in line with Ghana’s procurement laws.
Addressing Parliament, the Minister described allegations of widespread sole sourcing as misleading and unfounded, explaining that only 44 percent of major contracts were awarded through sole sourcing, while over 400 contracts have been secured through open competitive tendering.
He stressed that it is inaccurate to suggest that the Ministry relies primarily on sole sourcing.
According to him, the government adopted a mix of procurement methods, as permitted by law, to address the urgent need to fix Ghana’s deteriorating road network.
He noted that relying solely on lengthy procurement processes would have delayed critical projects and increased costs.
The Minister also revealed that 23 abandoned road projects valued at GHS 14.88 billion, inherited from the previous administration, have been incorporated into the Big Push programme and provided with funding.
These include major projects such as the Suame Interchange, Ofankor-Nsawam Road, and Adenta-Dodowa Road, which he said would have remained stalled without the current intervention.
Mr. Agbodza indicated that the programme is structured around 12 key economic corridors, divided into 54 project lots to promote competition and speed up delivery.
He added that over 2,000 kilometres of roads across all 16 regions are currently under construction or rehabilitation.
On value for money, the Minister outlined measures put in place to ensure cost efficiency and quality delivery, including government-led surveys, design and costing of projects, as well as independent value-for-money assessments of contractor proposals.
He also mentioned the introduction of stricter monitoring systems to ensure that payments are made only for work completed.
Responding to criticisms over cost-per-kilometre comparisons, Mr. Agbodza said such arguments fail to consider differences in project scope, engineering requirements, and additional infrastructure such as bridges and interchanges.
He emphasised that the programme is subject to continuous parliamentary oversight, including committee reviews and independent validation of project costs.
The Minister further pointed to inherited challenges, stating that some projects awarded in 2024 lacked proper financial backing and competitive procurement processes, contributing to arrears of over GHS 40 billion.
He disclosed that the government has so far paid more than GHS 11 billion to settle part of these obligations.
Reaffirming his position, Mr. Agbodza said there has been no breach of procurement laws and no abuse of sole sourcing under the programme.
“The Big Push is delivering real results across the country,” he stated, urging Parliament and the public to support the initiative and avoid misinformation that could undermine it.
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