Deputy Roads and Highways Minister, Hon. Alhaji Alhassan Sayibu Suhuyini, has defended the government’s use of sole-source contracts, stressing that the approach is legal, necessary, and transparent.
Speaking in response to concerns raised by The Fourth Estate about procurement under the Big Push agenda, Suhuyini said the criticism reflects a misunderstanding of the practical demands of governance, particularly the distinction between “similar” and “the same.”
He explained that sole sourcing remains a legitimate tool for contracts requiring unique expertise or when urgent timelines make open bidding impractical. “These contracts were not awarded arbitrarily. Each one considered the contractor’s specialized skills and the pressing schedule of the President’s agenda,” he said.
Suhuyini highlighted that all contracts are fully documented and can withstand scrutiny from both internal and external auditors. “We submitted all relevant documents to the publisher under an RTI request without hesitation, demonstrating our commitment to honesty and accountability,” he added.
The comments come after The Fourth Estate reported that Roads and Highways Minister, Kwame Governs Agbodza, oversaw 81 sole-sourced contracts worth over GHS73 billion in seven months, raising questions about cost inflation and procurement procedures. Suhuyini reiterated that the ministry’s focus remains on delivering results responsibly while safeguarding public resources.
