President John Dramani Mahama has revealed plans to amend Ghana’s Public Procurement Act to significantly limit the use of single sourcing in public contracting, as part of efforts to enhance transparency and ensure value for money in government spending.
Speaking at a dialogue with Civil Society Organisations at Jubilee House in Accra, the President stressed that single sourcing should only be used in exceptional circumstances.
“It is precisely for such situations that I announce that government will introduce amendments to the Public Procurement Act to limit single sourcing in order to promote greater transparency and ensure proper value for money for the money we spend on projects,” he stated.
Mahama added that he would engage civil society stakeholders in shaping the proposed reforms, underscoring a collaborative approach to strengthening procurement governance.
To reinforce the changes, the President has directed the Ministry of Finance (Ghana) to fast-track the establishment of an Independent Value for Money Office. The office will be tasked with conducting rigorous reviews of all single-source procurement arrangements once the amendments take effect.
“I remain of the conviction that single sourcing must be used as sparingly as possible,” Mahama reiterated, signalling a decisive shift toward more competitive procurement processes.
The proposal has been welcomed by civil society groups, who view it as a critical step toward reducing corruption risks and improving fiscal discipline.
If approved by Parliament, the amendment is expected to mark one of the most significant procurement reforms in recent years, potentially transforming how public contracts are awarded across government sectors.
