A management consultant and procurement specialist, Kobina Atta-Bedi, has criticised the widespread use of sole-sourcing in the government’s Big Push infrastructure programme.
He insisted that none of the contracts should have received approval from the Public Procurement Authority (PPA).
Mr Atta-Bedi made the remarks during discussions on Newsfile on JoyNews on Saturday, 28 March.
“Under no circumstance should any of these contracts have passed for PPA approval for sole-sourced,” he said, stressing that bypassing competitive bidding undermines transparency and accountability in public procurement.
His comments follow a report by The Fourth Estate, which revealed that a significant portion of Big Push contracts were awarded without competition, raising concerns about potential cost inflation and governance lapses.
The Minister for Roads and Highways, Governs Kwame Agbodza, has maintained that only 44 per cent of major contracts were sole-sourced, a claim that experts and analysts continue to challenge.
Mr Atta-Bedi urged the government to strengthen oversight mechanisms, ensure competitive procurement processes and restore public confidence in contract awards.
He emphasised that strict adherence to proper procurement procedures is essential for transparency, accountability and sustainable infrastructure development.
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