“Classical case of comparing oranges with apples”, Sammy Gyamfi fires back

The unjustified use and abuse of sole sourcing is what former President John Dramani Mahama and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have consistently condemned in the past.

The deplorable state of Ghana’s roads remains one of the country’s most pressing national security challenges. Poor road infrastructure has directly contributed to numerous fatalities through road accidents, increased vulnerability to armed robberies, and delayed emergency response times. Safe, reliable roads are essential not only for transportation but also for economic growth, public safety, and the overall security of communities across the nation.

According to reliable sources, the surveying, designing, and costing of the Big Push road projects alone took the Ministry of Roads approximately seven months to complete. These preparatory steps were necessary to ensure accurate planning, budgeting, and technical feasibility before the commencement of construction.

Resorting to the National Competitive Tendering (NCT) process for these critical projects would have added several more months to the timeline. Given the urgency of improving Ghana’s road network, this could have delayed the completion of many Big Push projects well beyond 2028, undermining both public safety and economic objectives.

Competitive tendering processes, particularly for complex infrastructure projects, can extend over months or even years. A notable example is the competitive tendering process for the Road Toll project, which has yet to be completed in about a year due to its technical and administrative complexities. Such delays underscore the rationale for invoking sole sourcing in certain circumstances, particularly where timely delivery is critical.

Section 40 of the Public Procurement Lawifications, subject to approval by the Public Procurement Authority (PPA). This legal provision ensures that sole sourcing is permissible when standard competitive tendering would lead to significant delays or other adverse outcomes. Therefore, in these cases, sole sourcing is both lawful and fully compliant with national procurement regulations.

There is no evidence in the Fourth Estate Suame Interchange, Ofankor-Nsawam road, and Adenta-Dodowa road—were inherited from the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration. These projects were initially awarded through sole sourcing but lacked dedicated funding. The current government has simply novated the projects, retained the contractors, and provided funding under the Big Push initiative. Importantly, these 23 projects were not re-awarded, contrary to claims made in some media reports.

The Fourth Estate, in its reporting, appears to have included these inherited projects in the list of sole-sourced contracts awarded by the current government, creating a misleading impression. Clearly, more accurate reporting could have distinguished between projects newly awarded under the Big Push and those merely continued from the previous administration.

The broader point, as emphasized by government officials, is that criticism of past sole-sourcing practices does not automatically render all current uses of the method improper. Comparing past instances of unjustified sole sourcing with lawful, urgent project awards amounts to “comparing oranges with apples.” Each project must be evaluated on its own merits, legality, and urgency, and the Big Push road projects meet all legal and procedural requirements.

Ultimately, the urgency of these projects cannot be denied. Ghana’s road network requires immediate intervention to safeguard lives, enhance national security, and promote economic growth. Sole sourcing, in this context, is a lawful and practical tool to expedite project delivery, ensure competent contractors are engaged, and complete critical road projects within the shortest possible timeframe.