Nana Adjei Baffour Awuah, Member of Parliament for Manhyia South, has highlighted past procurement practices, noting that 90% of contracts during the National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration from 2012 to 2016 were awarded through sole sourcing.

The Vice Chair of Parliament's Subsidiary Legislation Committee spoke on JoyNews Newsfile on Saturday, 28 March, amid ongoing discussions about the government’s Big Push infrastructure contracts.

“Back in 2016, the NDC awarded 90% of contracts through sole sourcing,” Baffour Awuah stated, referencing President John Dramani Mahama’s first term and highlighting the long-standing nature of non-competitive contract awards during his administration.

The comments come in the wake of a report by The Fourth Estate, which raised concerns over the extensive use of sole sourcing and potential cost inflation in the current government’s Big Push programme.

According to the publication, 81 contracts valued at over GHS73 billion were awarded via sole sourcing within seven months.

Meanwhile, Roads and Highways Minister Governs Kwame Agbodza has maintained that only 44% of major contracts under the Big Push were sole-sourced.