Mahama Government Faces Explosive Sole-Sourcing Scandal as Costs Allegedly Balloon by 200%
By Kwabena Adu Koranteng
The government of John Dramani Mahama is under mounting pressure following explosive allegations that its flagship “Big Push” infrastructure programme has become a conduit for widespread abuse of sole-sourced contracts.
Despite earlier promises to reduce reliance on sole-sourcing, new findings suggest the opposite trend raising fears of systemic procurement breaches and potential financial loss to the state.
Investigations by The Fourth Estate indicate that more than 80 high-value contracts under the Big Push initiative have allegedly been awarded through sole-sourcing many at significantly inflated prices.
Sources familiar with the contracts claim that, in some cases, project costs have been inflated by over 200 percent, sparking outrage among policy analysts and civil society groups.
A Promise Broken?
In his 2025 State of the Nation Address, President Mahama pledged to reform public procurement and minimize sole-sourcing, describing it as a practice prone to abuse.
However, critics now argue that the government has not only failed to reduce sole-sourcing but has institutionalized it within its most ambitious infrastructure programme.
“This is not what Ghanaians were promised,” a governance expert told this paper. “Sole-sourcing must be exceptional not the default.”
Allegations of Cronyism and Kickbacks
Even more troubling are claims that contracts are being awarded to individuals and companies with close political ties to the ruling party.
Insiders allege that:
Contracts are being distributed to party financiers and loyalists
Procurement processes are being bypassed to fast-track approvals
Some beneficiaries allegedly return kickbacks to political actors
While these claims remain under investigation, their implications are profound—pointing to what critics describe as a growing pattern of state capture through procurement.
Millions Already Paid
According to findings cited by The Fourth Estate, millions of dollars have already been disbursed to contractors under these sole-sourced deals.
Concerns are growing over:
Value for money
Project transparency
Oversight failures
At a time when Ghana faces economic strain and rising living costs, these revelations have triggered public anger and renewed calls for accountability.
Government Yet to Respond Fully
As of press time, officials within the Ministry of Roads and Highways have not provided a detailed response to the allegations.
However, government insiders insist that all procurement processes followed “due legal procedures” and were undertaken in the national interest to fast-track critical infrastructure.
Calls for Investigation Intensify
Pressure is now mounting on key state institutions to act, including:
Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee
The Auditor-General
Anti-corruption bodies
Civil society organizations are demanding a full forensic audit of all Big Push contracts.
UPDATE: Political Tensions Rise
Accra | March 27, 2026
Opposition figures have begun calling for a bipartisan parliamentary probe into the Big Push contracts.
Policy think tanks warn that continued reliance on sole-sourcing could undermine investor confidence.
Anti-corruption advocates are pushing for the publication of all awarded contracts and beneficiaries.
Meanwhile, public debate is intensifying across media platforms, with many Ghanaians questioning whether the Big Push programme is delivering development—or enabling exploitation.
The Bigger Question
At the heart of the controversy lies a critical national concern:
Is Ghana building infrastructure—or building a system that enriches a few at the expense of the many?
Until clear answers are provided, the shadow over the Big Push programme will only deepen.
