President John Mahama has ordered investigations into allegations by the Fourth Estate that a significant number of contracts awarded under the Big Push programme were sole sourced.
The President gave the order on March 30 when he met a cross section of representatives from Civil Society Organisations.
“Although we have seen snippets of the investigation from the media, I have instructed my office to obtain the full detailed report from the Fourth Estate and to conduct a study of the various allegations presented in the report,” President Mahama stated.
The President also directed the Ministry of Roads and Highways to prepare and submit a detailed response addressing the claims raised in the investigation. He indicated that any subsequent government action would be based on both the findings of the full report and the ministry’s official explanation.
“We would all agree that open, transparent tenders are always preferable for achieving competitive pricing and value for money,” he noted.
The Big Push programme, which is designed to accelerate infrastructure development across the country, has drawn significant public and stakeholder interest since its rollout.
The allegations raised by The Fourth Estate have therefore intensified scrutiny of procurement practices under the initiative.
The President assured civil society groups that his administration would treat the matter with seriousness and objectivity, adding that a thorough review process was necessary to maintain public confidence in government contracting and financial management systems.
