The Minority in Ghana’s Parliament has intensified calls for the government to fully disclose the details of contracts awarded under its ambitious ‘Big Push’ road infrastructure programme. This demand comes after a report by The Fourth Estate raised serious concerns about the procurement processes, particularly highlighting the use of sole sourcing for the awarding of contracts and potential inflation of costs.
Kennedy Osei Nyarko, the Ranking Member of the Roads and Transport Committee, and Member of Parliament for Akim Swedru, voiced his concerns at a press conference on March 24, emphasizing that public trust in the government’s infrastructure projects is at risk. He acknowledged that if properly executed, the Big Push initiative has the potential to drastically improve the nation’s road connectivity and boost economic growth by opening key trade corridors.
However, Nyarko stressed that for the programme to be successful in the eyes of the public, transparency and accountability are critical. He pointed out that publishing full contract details, including the identity of contractors, the scope of work, and unit costs per kilometre, would help to restore confidence in the programme and allow Ghanaians to independently assess the fairness and value of the road projects.
“We strongly believe that the government must, as a matter of urgency, publish the full details of these contracts,” Nyarko stated. “This will give Ghanaians the opportunity to independently assess the policy and promote transparency in the execution of the programme.”
“We strongly believe that the government must, as a matter of urgency, publish the full details of these contracts,” Nyarko stated. “This will give Ghanaians the opportunity to independently assess the policy and promote transparency in the execution of the programme.”
The call for transparency follows a Fourth Estate investigation, which reported that the Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwame Agbodza, oversaw 81 sole-sourced contracts, amounting to more than GHS 73 billion in just seven months. This heavy reliance on sole sourcing has raised alarms about the fairness of the procurement process and whether taxpayers are getting value for money.
However, the government has defended its actions. Sammy Gyamfi, the CEO of Ghana GoldBod, expressed support for the use of sole sourcing in certain critical road projects under the Big Push programme. He dismissed concerns of procurement abuse, arguing that the approach was necessary to expedite critical infrastructure development.
Source: metrotvonline.com
