Roads Ministry did not breach procurement laws in Big Push contracts – Felix Ofosu Kwakye

The government has dismissed allegations of procurement breaches in the award of contracts under the Big Push infrastructure programme, saying an investigation found that the Ministry of Roads and Highways acted within the law.

Minister of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, disclosed this at the Government Accountability Series held at the Jubilee House on Monday, June 15, 2026.

According to him, a 72-page report commissioned by President John Mahama found that the ministry followed all legal procedures in awarding contracts and did not abuse the single-source procurement process.

Mr. Kwakye Ofosu explained that the investigation was initiated after the Fourth Estate and the Media Foundation for West Africa raised concerns about the award of road contracts under the Big Push initiative.

He said the report established that out of 1,441 road contracts awarded by the Ministry of Roads and Highways, 1,301 were awarded through open and competitive tendering.

According to him, only 66 contracts, representing 4.58 per cent of the total contracts awarded, were procured through single sourcing.

“This demonstrates that competitive tendering remained the ministry’s overwhelming baseline norm,” he stated.

Mr. Kwakye Ofosu said the report concluded that the ministry did not violate the Public Procurement Act and had obtained the necessary approvals before awarding contracts through single sourcing or restricted tendering.

He explained that the use of single sourcing for some Big Push projects was driven by the need to accelerate road construction, address deteriorating road conditions, reduce project delays and control rising costs.

The minister addressed allegations of inconsistencies in project figures published by the Ministry of Roads and Highways.

He said investigators found that some of the perceived disparities resulted from different funding sources, including the Consolidated Fund and the Big Push Fund, rather than any financial wrongdoing.

On claims surrounding the rehabilitation of the Dodo Pepesu–Nkwanta Road, Mr. Kwakye Ofosu said a reported discrepancy in the project cost was traced to a typographical error.

According to him, the official contract sum for the project was GH¢683.9 million, and any other figure that appeared elsewhere did not affect the legally approved contract amount.

He dismissed allegations that the omission of the letter “W” in the name of contractor Growth 82 Global Limited was an attempt to hide the company from public scrutiny.

The minister said investigators found no evidence to support that claim, noting that the contractor’s details were publicly available and visible at the project site.

Mr. Kwakye Ofosu further stated that the report confirmed Growth 82 Global Limited was properly registered and had obtained the required contractor classification before the contract was awarded.

He added that the company won the contract through a restricted tendering process in which five companies were evaluated.

The minister rejected claims that some road projects were overpriced, explaining that the cost of road construction is determined by several factors, including terrain, drainage systems, bridges and the overall scope of work.

He said projects of similar length could have different costs because of variations in engineering requirements.

Mr. Kwakye Ofosu noted that the report recommended stronger oversight of single-source contracts, including mandatory value-for-money assessments, cabinet approval for high-value contracts and increased public disclosure of procurement information.

He said the government welcomed the recommendations and would implement measures to strengthen transparency and accountability in public procurement.

The minister commended the Fourth Estate and the Media Foundation for West Africa for their role in promoting public accountability and exposing wrongdoing in the public sector.

According to him, while the report found no evidence of procurement breaches by the Ministry of Roads and Highways, it highlighted the need for greater transparency and stronger oversight mechanisms.

Mr. Kwakye Ofosu said President Mahama had accepted the report and its recommendations, adding that no further action would be taken because the evidence did not support the allegations made against the ministry.

By: Jacob Aggrey