Ghana’s GHS 73bn ‘Big Push’ Infrastructure Program Under Scrutiny Over Sole-Sourcing Allegations and Procurement Irregularities

Ghana’s ambitious ‘Big Push’ road infrastructure initiative has become the center of a heated national debate following allegations of extensive procurement irregularities and a lack of competitive bidding. The National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration has championed the program as a groundbreaking solution to decades of road neglect, aiming to enhance inter-city transport and economic activity. However, reports from The Fourth Estate and the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) have raised alarms over the awarding of 107 contracts valued at over GHS 73 billion. Critics allege that these contracts were awarded through sole-sourcing without competitive tenders, potentially leading to inflated costs and compromised transparency in the management of public funds.

Sulemana Braimah, Executive Director of the MFWA, revealed that official data from the Ministry of Roads and Highways’ own Master Register—obtained only after a Right to Information (RTI) appeal—shows that none of the 107 contracts underwent competitive bidding. Investigative findings further suggest that some firms awarded these multi-million cedi contracts were established as recently as January 2025, while others operate with as few as one to four employees. These revelations have sparked concerns among procurement specialists and civil society groups, such as IMANI Africa, who argue that the systemic abuse of sole-sourcing undermines public trust and creates an environment ripe for corruption. Senior Vice President of IMANI Africa, Kofi Bentil, has called for a total abolition of sole-sourcing, attributing the current crisis to leadership failures rather than deficiencies in existing laws.

In response to these allegations, Deputy Minister for Roads and Highways, Alhassan Suhuyini, and Minister Governs Kwame Agbodza have firmly defended the government’s record. While acknowledging that sole-sourcing occurs, they dispute the scale of the claims, asserting that only 44% of major ‘Big Push’ contracts were sole-sourced. Suhuyini emphasized that the administration is actually reforming a procurement system they inherited, which they claim was fully reliant on sole-sourcing under previous leadership. He further issued a stern warning to contractors that underperformance or delays would result in immediate contract termination, insisting that the government is committed to delivering tangible results for the Ghanaian taxpayer under President John Dramani Mahama’s oversight.

The controversy coincides with significant legislative and legal developments in the procurement sector. Parliament recently passed the Value for Money Office Bill 2026, intended to tackle inefficiencies in public spending. However, the law has faced sharp criticism from procurement specialists like Kobina Ata-Bedu, who label it as “useless” and a redundant duplication of the Public Procurement and Public Financial Management Acts. Meanwhile, the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) continues to pursue accountability in the courts, recently closing its case against the former Chief Executive of the Public Procurement Authority, Adjenim Boateng Adjei, who faces charges for abuse of office and procurement manipulation.

As the ‘Big Push’ projects continue across the country, their success and transparency are expected to be pivotal issues in the upcoming electoral cycle. While the government maintains that these infrastructure investments are essential for national development, the growing calls for collaboration between the media, judiciary, and anti-corruption bodies highlight a heightened demand for accountability. The resolution of these procurement disputes will likely determine whether the ‘Big Push’ is remembered as a transformative development milestone or a cautionary tale of governance and fiscal management in Ghana.