The Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Sulemana Braimah, has raised alarm over what he describes as the excessive use of sole sourcing in the award of contracts under the government’s “Big Push” initiative.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Top Story, Mr. Braimah said data obtained by his outfit points to a significant abuse of the sole sourcing provision in Ghana’s procurement law.
According to him, out of 107 contracts reviewed, a staggering 81 were awarded through sole sourcing, raising questions about compliance with the Public Procurement Act.
He explained that although sole sourcing is permitted under the law, it is only acceptable under specific conditions, such as emergencies or situations requiring specialised expertise.
“We all know sole sourcing is provided for in the law—but with clear conditionalities. The key issue is whether those conditions were met,” he stated.
Data Request and Findings
Mr. Braimah revealed that his organization formally requested detailed information on contracts awarded between January 2025 and January 2026, including: Procurement method, project details, contractor names, contract values and timelines.
While the Ministry responded with the data, he noted that the procurement method column was dominated by repeated entries of “sole sourcing.”
“It cannot be that 81 out of 107 contracts were all justified under emergency conditions,” he argued.
Concerns Over Abuse of the Law
Mr. Braimah stressed that the issue is not the existence of sole sourcing in law, but its excessive and potentially unjustified use.
He warned that over-reliance on sole sourcing undermines:Transparency, fair competition and value for money.
Political Commitments Under Scrutiny
He also pointed to past commitments by the governing party to curb the abuse of sole sourcing, referencing promises to strengthen compliance with procurement laws.
Mr. Braimah further cited statements by John Dramani Mahama, who has previously acknowledged that the country faces challenges with the overuse of sole sourcing.
The MFWA Executive Director is calling for: clear justification for each sole-sourced contract, greater transparency in procurement decisions, a case-by-case review to determine compliance with the law.
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Source: www.myjoyonline.com