President John Dramani Mahama has instructed his office to secure the complete investigative report by The Fourth Estate on the Big Push Programme, following reports alleging irregularities in the award of contracts.

The investigation claims that the Minister for Roads and Highways, Governs Kwame Agbodza, supervised the awarding of 81 contracts through sole sourcing, valued at more than GH¢73 billion within a seven-month period. The revelations have sparked concerns about the heavy reliance on non-competitive procurement methods and possible cost inflation.

Speaking at a meeting with Civil Society Organisations at the Jubilee House on Monday, March 30, President Mahama underscored the need for openness in public procurement processes.

He acknowledged the exposé, noting that while sole sourcing is permitted under specific conditions, competitive and transparent tendering remains the best approach to ensure value for money.

The President further directed the Ministry of Roads and Highways to respond comprehensively to the claims to inform any subsequent government action.

He added that his office would review the full findings of the report alongside the Ministry’s response before taking further steps.

As part of efforts to strengthen accountability, President Mahama announced plans to amend the Public Procurement Act to restrict the use of sole sourcing and enhance transparency.

He also revealed that the Ministry of Finance has been tasked to expedite the establishment of the Independent Value for Money Office, which will be responsible for assessing all single-source procurements to ensure they meet strict value-for-money standards.

President Mahama called on civil society groups to intensify their oversight role in tracking public projects and government spending, stressing that collaboration between citizens and the state is essential to restoring confidence in public institutions.