The Presidency has released findings from a detailed investigation into allegations of abuse of single-sourcing procurement processes under the Ministry of Roads and Highways’ Big Push initiative.
Minister for Government Communications and Presidential Spokesperson, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, disclosed the findings at the Government Accountability Series, explaining that the probe was initiated following a report dated April 1, 2026, from the Media Foundation for West Africa concerning publications by The Fourth Estate.
The publications alleged widespread use of single sourcing in awarding road contracts under the initiative. According to him, President John Dramani Mahama referred the matter on April 2, 2026, to the Senior Presidential Advisor on Governmental Affairs, Dr Valerie Sawyer, to establish the veracity of the claims and recommend appropriate action.
“The Media Foundation for West Africa report was forwarded by the Presidency to the Ministry of Roads and Highways on April 8th, 2026, for their response. The response was received at the Presidency on 21st April, 2026.
“In the interest of transparency and in line with our commitment to accountable governance, the full 72-page report will be published by the close of the day tomorrow”
Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Minister for Government Communications
Government to Publish Full Report
Hon Kwakye Ofosu stated that, in the interest of transparency and accountability, the full 72-page report will be made public. He noted that the government was committed to ensuring that public concerns regarding procurement processes are addressed with evidence-based findings rather than speculation.
He added that the findings also form part of the administration’s broader accountability agenda, aimed at strengthening trust in public procurement systems and governance processes.
Breakdown of Road Contracts Under Big Bush
The report reviewed a total of 1,441 road contracts awarded by the Ministry of Roads and Highways under the current administration. These contracts were implemented through the Ghana Highways Authority, the Department of Feeder Roads, and other agencies within the ministry.
The breakdown shows that 405 contracts were awarded by the Ghana Highways Authority, 896 by the Department of Feeder Roads, and 23 were classified as legacy projects inherited from previous administrations.
An additional 63 consolidated projects and 54 main Big Bush projects also formed part of the implementation framework.
Majority of Projects Awarded Through Open Tendering
According to the findings, 1,301 of the 1,441 contracts were awarded through open competitive tendering processes. These contracts were publicly advertised and verified through standard procurement procedures.
This figure represents 90.28 percent of all road contracts awarded under the Ministry of Roads and Highways within the period under review.
The report concludes that competitive procurement remains the dominant method for awarding road contracts, contradicting claims that the ministry primarily relied on single sourcing.
Limited Use of Single Sourcing
The investigation further found that only 140 of the total contracts were awarded under the Big Push initiative using alternative procurement methods.
Out of these, 66 contracts were awarded through single sourcing, 51 through restrictive tendering, while 23 were legacy projects inherited from previous governments and already awarded under single sourcing arrangements. This means that single sourcing accounted for just 4.58 percent of the total 1,441 contracts reviewed.
The report also noted that within the Big Bush initiative itself, only 47.14 percent of the 140 projects were awarded through single sourcing, while the remainder were processed through competitive or restricted methods.
Agency Level Procurement Approvals
The findings further detailed approvals obtained from the Public Procurement Authority board by implementing agencies. The Ghana Highways Authority received approval for 72 Big Bush projects, of which 51 were awarded through single sourcing and 21 through restricted tendering.
The Department of Urban Roads secured approval for 16 projects, comprising 11 single sourced contracts and 5 restricted tenders. The Department of Feeder Roads obtained approval for 29 projects, with 4 awarded through single sourcing and 25 through restricted tendering.
No Breach of Authorisation Limits
The report also clarified that commitment authorisation was obtained from the Ministry of Finance for 136 projects, with one project yet to be awarded.
It further explained that some projects were split into multiple lots during implementation, increasing the total number of award records from 135 to 140 without exceeding approved financial limits.
Government Rejects Mischaracterisation of Procurement Practices
Hon Kwakye Ofosu stated that the evidence clearly demonstrates that the Ministry of Roads and Highways cannot be described as a “sole source factory,” as suggested in earlier publications.
He emphasized that with more than 90 percent of contracts awarded through open competitive tendering, the procurement system under the ministry remains largely transparent and competitive.
He added that the findings provide a factual basis to counter allegations of widespread procurement abuse while reinforcing the government’s commitment to accountability and evidence based governance.
The Presidency says the publication of the full report will allow the public to independently assess the findings and contribute to informed national discourse on procurement practices in the road sector.
READ ALSO: Government Hails Kasapreko Stock Market Debut, Details Macroeconomic Reforms
