The Chief Executive Officer of Ghana GoldBod, Sammy Gyamfi, has justified the government’s decision to use sole-sourcing for key road projects under the Big Push initiative, dismissing allegations of procurement breaches and inflated costs.
His response comes after concerns raised by The Fourth Estate, which questioned aspects of the procurement process, including the scale of sole-sourced contracts and possible cost inflation.
The report also alleged that the Minister for Transport, Governs Kwame Agbodza, oversaw the award of 81 sole-sourced contracts valued at over GHS73 billion within a seven-month period.
In a statement dated March 24, 2026, Gyamfi maintained that there is “not a scintilla of evidence” to support claims of wrongdoing, insisting that all contracts were awarded legally and with proper approvals. He explained that each project received clearance from the Public Procurement Authority and underwent Value for Money assessments.
He further emphasised the urgency of the projects, noting that contracts were awarded to qualified contractors and that payments are strictly tied to verified work completed and certified by independent consultants.
Gyamfi also addressed what he described as inaccuracies in media reports, particularly the inclusion of 23 road projects inherited from the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration. According to him, projects such as the Suame Interchange, Ofankor-Nsawam, and Adenta-Dodowa were not newly awarded but rather continued under the Big Push programme through novation.
He clarified that while the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) has previously criticised misuse of sole-sourcing, it has never argued that the method is inherently unlawful.
According to Gyamfi, the use of sole-sourcing in this case was necessary to fast-track critical infrastructure projects, warning that relying on competitive tendering could have delayed completion timelines beyond 2028. He cited past experiences, including the Road Toll project, where procurement processes extended for over a year due to complexities.
The statement reinforces the government’s stance that, when justified by urgency, sole-sourcing can be applied legally and transparently while ensuring accountability in project execution.
