Civil society organisations have strongly criticised the government’s heavy reliance on sole-sourcing in awarding road contracts, describing the practice as a threat to transparency and value for money in Ghana’s public procurement system.
The concerns follow revelations from an investigation by The Fourth Estate, which highlighted the scale of sole-sourced contracts under the government’s infrastructure programme.
Stakeholders argue that the findings contradict earlier commitments by the administration to prioritise competitive tendering.
Transparency Concerns Raised
The Executive Director of Transparency International Ghana, Mary Ada, expressed deep concern over what she described as persistent breaches of procurement rules.
“It’s sad, and the double standards are just too many… It’s sad that people who stand on the pulpit to say one thing carry on and do other things,” she said, stressing that such actions weaken public trust in governance systems.
She further noted that these violations persist largely because public officials often face no consequences, creating a culture of impunity within state institutions.
Policy Contradictions Highlighted
Echoing similar sentiments, Ben Boakye of the Africa Centre for Energy Policy questioned the consistency of government policy positions. He argued that the current approach suggests a shift in attitude now that those in authority are decision-makers.
According to him, the findings “were not what Ghanaians were promised,” adding that past criticisms of sole-sourcing may not have been driven purely by public interest concerns.
President of IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, described the situation as evidence of deeper structural weaknesses in Ghana’s procurement system.
“We know the integrity of the procurement process has been compromised… with these dizzying numbers, we are lost,” he said, warning that inefficiencies and weak oversight mechanisms have turned procurement into a major source of revenue leakage.
Calls for Accountability
Anti-corruption advocate Vitus Azeem also expressed disappointment, noting that the development contradicts pledges made by John Dramani Mahama to reduce sole-sourcing practices.
“It’s surprising that just one year into power, such situations exist… the procurement law talks of competitive bidding, and sole-sourcing… is not a norm.” - Vitus Azeem
The strong reactions from civil society reflect increasing pressure on government to align procurement practices with legal frameworks and policy commitments.
Observers say restoring confidence in the system will require stricter enforcement, transparency, and accountability in the awarding of public contracts.
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