Ghana faces a significant infrastructure deficit, and the development policy introduced by John Dramani Mahama, known as “The Big Push,” is widely regarded as a credible agenda to help close this gap. The policy includes a financial arrangement by the Ministry of Finance to allocate approximately $10 billion annually to the road sector.
The Minority’s position, which accuses the Roads Minister of misusing the sole-sourcing procurement method, deserves a fair hearing. Their concerns should be assessed on the basis of value for money rather than dismissed as mere attempts to score political points through press conferences.
An analysis of the ongoing road projects under the Big Push initiative suggests that the programme is creating an enabling economic environment for job creation and empowering Ghanaian businesses. This approach could help reduce capital flight by prioritizing local contractors over foreign firms.
However, it is unfortunate that both major political parties continue to label Ghanaian businesspeople along political lines. Moving forward, it would be appropriate for affected companies to take legal action against individuals or parties that defame them.
Speaking on Adekyee Mu Nsem, a morning show on Ahotor 92.3 FM hosted by Citizen Kofi Owusu in Accra, Dr. Jonathan Asante Otchere, a political analyst, senior lecturer at the University of Cape Coast, and Executive Director of the African Institute of Strategic Studies, shared his views on the matter.
He emphasized that sole sourcing is not illegal. However, he noted that both the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have, at various times, abused the process by allocating contracts beyond the intended scope of the policy.
According to him, pricing concerns must be carefully examined within the financial arrangements to ensure value for money across all ongoing contracts.
From an economic standpoint, he argued that Ghanaians are beginning to experience relative stability, with visible benefits emerging from the Big Push projects through employment opportunities and increased economic activity.
Dr. Otchere also expressed disappointment in the NPP, criticizing the party for viewing national issues through a political lens. He referenced what he described as economic mismanagement over the past eight years and advised that if the party hopes to regain power in the 2028 elections, it must adopt a more constructive approach by offering superior alternatives and well-founded arguments. Otherwise, he warned, it risks remaining in opposition for an extended period.
In a related development, the Minister for Roads and Highways and Member of Parliament for Adaklu, Governs Kwame Agbodza, has clarified the scope of the government’s Big Push programme, drawing a clear distinction between new and inherited projects.
“There are 54 different projects under the new Big Push,” he stated. He explained that these are projects initiated afresh by the current administration and were not previously under contract.
He contrasted these with what he described as the “old Big Push,” referring to projects inherited from previous governments.
“These are projects we did not originally promise, but which we inherited upon taking office,” he said.
According to the Minister, the government has made a deliberate policy decision not to abandon ongoing projects.
“We are not repeating what happened in 2017, where projects were abandoned because they were not initiated by the incoming administration. The President has directed that no project should be cancelled, even in the face of difficulties. Instead, we will continue working to resolve challenges,” he explained.
He cited stalled projects such as Ofankor and Kasoa-Winneba as examples that have now been incorporated into the Big Push framework due to the lack of dedicated funding in the past.
Providing a financial breakdown, the Minister disclosed that inherited projects cost close to GH¢15 billion within the overall Big Push portfolio. He added that new projects are estimated at about GH¢55 billion, while novated projects account for an additional GH¢14 billion.
Mr. Agbodza emphasized that the projects are distributed nationwide, with some divided into multiple lots to improve efficiency. Using the Tamale Ring Road as an example, he explained that although it is a single project, it has been split into three separate contracts handled by different contractors.
He noted that breaking projects into smaller components helps manage risk and improve delivery outcomes.
“If one contractor fails, it does not derail the entire project. Instead, another contractor can take over that specific section,” he explained.
On the total number of contracts, the Minister stated that the Big Push programme comprises 54 new projects and 23 inherited ones, although some contractors are responsible for multiple sections.
He also addressed public misconceptions about the programme.
“People are beginning to label every ongoing road project as part of the Big Push, which is not accurate,” he said.
He clarified that projects designated under the Big Push are simply priority projects earmarked for accelerated completion, while other road projects remain equally important.
“Emphatically, 54 projects qualify as the new Big Push, while 23 are inherited projects that have been novated,” he concluded.