The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana GoldBod, Sammy Gyamfi, has defended the government’s use of sole-sourcing for key road projects under the Big Push initiative, insisting the process has been lawful, transparent, and justified.
His response follows allegations by investigative outlet The Fourth Estate, which questioned procurement practices under the programme, raising concerns about potential cost inflation and the widespread use of sole-sourced contracts.
The report also alleged that Governs Kwame Agbodza, Minister for Transport, oversaw the award of 81 such contracts valued at more than GH¢73 billion within a seven-month period.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, Mr Gyamfi dismissed the claims, stating there was “not a scintilla of evidence” to support allegations of wrongdoing.
He maintained that all sole-sourced contracts were approved by the relevant authorities and subjected to Value for Money audits. According to him, the urgency of the projects necessitated the approach, adding that contracts were awarded to competent contractors and payments were made strictly based on verified work.
Mr Gyamfi also clarified that some of the figures cited in the report included projects inherited from the previous administration. He noted that major projects such as the Suame Interchange, Ofankor–Nsawam road, and Adenta–Dodowa road were not newly awarded but continued under the Big Push initiative through novation.
Addressing criticism of sole-sourcing, he said while the NDC had previously raised concerns about its misuse, it had never opposed the procurement method entirely. In this case, he argued, the approach was necessary to avoid delays and accelerate infrastructure delivery.
He further noted that relying solely on competitive tendering could significantly slow down project execution, citing past instances where procurement processes extended beyond a year.
Mr Gyamfi concluded that the current strategy strikes a balance between urgency and accountability, ensuring that critical infrastructure projects are delivered on schedule without compromising due process.
