The CEO of Ghana GoldBod, Sammy Gyamfi, has defended the government’s use of sole sourcing for critical road projects under the Big Push initiative, dismissing claims of abuse or inflated costs.
The response follows concerns raised in a publication by The Fourth Estate that questioned procurement processes under the Big Push Agenda, including the use of sole sourcing and potential cost inflation.
The outlet also accused the Minister for Roads, Governs Kwame Agbodza, of overseeing the award of 81 sole-sourced contracts worth more than GHS73 billion within seven months.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, Sammy Gyamfi said there was “not a scintilla of evidence” to support claims of wrongdoing, insisting that all contracts awarded through sole-sourcing were lawful and properly approved.
He stressed that all Big Push road contracts awarded through sole-sourcing had received the necessary PPA approval and underwent Value for Money audits, confirming that there were no irregularities.
“The urgency of these projects cannot be denied. All contracts were awarded to multiple competent and experienced contractors, and payments are strictly based on actual work certified by independent consultants,” he said.
The statement also sought to clarify misconceptions in media reports, particularly those suggesting that the current government had abused sole-sourcing practices. According to the CEO, some reports erroneously included 23 inherited road projects initially awarded by the previous NPP administration as part of the current government’s sole-sourced contracts.
“These projects, including Suame Interchange, Ofankor-Nsawam, and Adenta-Dodowa, were not re-awarded but simply novated and funded under the Big Push programme. The Fourth Estate could have reported this more accurately,” the CEO said.
He added that while the NDC had criticised the unjustified use of sole-sourcing in the past, the party never claimed that all sole-sourcing was unlawful.
“In the case of the Big Push projects, sole-sourcing was fully justified due to urgency, and there is no evidence of inflation or abuse,” he stated.
The CEO also highlighted the lengthy timelines involved in traditional competitive tendering, noting that the process could have delayed project completion beyond 2028. He cited previous examples, including the Road Toll project, where competitive tendering had stretched over a year due to complexities.
The statement reinforces the government’s position that urgent road projects can be legally and transparently awarded through sole-sourcing, ensuring timely completion while maintaining accountability.
