Dr. James Kwabena Bomfeh Jnr, a lecturer at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), has called for the dismissal of the Minister for Roads and Highways, Hon. Governs Kwame Agbodza.
The call follows allegations regarding the award of numerous road contracts through single-sourcing under the government’s flagship “Big Push” initiative.
Dr. Bomfeh argues that the Minister’s actions have compromised the government’s credibility and raised serious questions about public governance.
Speaking on the JoyNews AM Show on Monday, March 30, Dr. Bomfeh, popularly known as “Kabila” insisted that the minister’s current procurement methods contradict his previous public stances.
“The Minister must go. There should be a commission of inquiry into this matter. There must be clear principles guiding how we do things in this country. One cannot ‘approbate and reprobate’; you need to be consistent with what you claim,” Dr. Bomfeh stated.
He further highlighted that the Minister and his party had previously campaigned against sole-sourcing, labeling it a “conduit for corruption.”
“How can you justify 81 out of 107 contracts being awarded through sole-sourcing? That is approximately 75 percent.
They have capitulated on their own word and I am saying that you cannot eat your cake and have it,” he added.
The controversy stems from an investigative report by The Fourth Estate, which has raised red flags over procurement practices under the “Big Push” programme.
Key findings in the report include that 81 out of 107 contracts were sole-sourced.
These contracts are valued at more than GHS 73 billion and the awards allegedly occurred within a seven-month window, creating suspicion of possible cost inflation and a lack of competitive bidding.
In a rebuttal delivered to Parliament on March 24, Hon. Kwame Agbodza rejected any claims of impropriety.
He maintained that all contracts under the “Big Push” initiative were awarded in strict compliance with the Public Procurement Act.
The Minister emphasized that full details including contractors, timelines, and scope are available on the Ministry’s website, indicating that the use of single-sourcing followed established legal frameworks.
He also reiterated that the government remains committed to delivering high-quality road infrastructure accountably.
Despite these assurances, Dr. Bomfeh remains firm: “For the sake of credibility, Kwame Agbodza must go. He must either resign or be sacked by President Mahama.”
By 1960news.com
