The Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Sulemana Braimah, has criticised the use of sole sourcing in road contracts, arguing that current conditions do not justify the approach.
Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen, Mr. Braimah questioned the urgency surrounding road projects, insisting that they do not meet the threshold for sole sourcing. He stressed that procurement should be based on merit and competitive tendering, warning that sole sourcing undermines transparency and accountability.
He also accused the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) of failing to honour its promise to reduce sole sourcing, noting that the party is now engaging in practices it previously criticised while in opposition.
“It’s not just about sole sourcing; it involves money as well. This practice should not be allowed, and it’s something all governments oppose. Contracts should be awarded based on merit. The NDC is failing to fulfill the promises it made to Ghanaians regarding sole sourcing,” he said.
He further questioned the claimed urgency for road projects, adding: “What is the emergency concerning our roads? The situation does not meet the criteria for sole sourcing. Why is there such urgency? Are we suggesting we cannot conduct competitive tendering in one month? The president himself stated he wanted to ban sole sourcing. If it is a good practice, why is it being opposed?”
Mr. Braimah’s comments follow a report by The Fourth Estate on the government’s Big Push initiative, which has reignited debate over procurement practices.
In response, the Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwame Governs Agbodza, defended the government’s approach, explaining that some projects require sole sourcing to ensure continuity and accelerate delivery. He added that the government is working to complete inherited projects, some of which were restructured under the Big Push programme due to funding challenges.
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