Investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has expressed concern over the government’s clarification that 44% of contracts under the Big Push infrastructure programme were awarded through sole sourcing, warning that the practice could undermine public accountability.

Speaking on Channel One TV’s The Big Issue, he referenced differing figures being cited by the Ministry and investigative outlet The Fourth Estate, noting that even the official figure of 44 per cent raises serious concerns.

He warned that if additional contracts are considered under similar arrangements, the proportion could approach half of all Big Push projects being awarded through sole sourcing, which he described as worrying for public procurement practice.

He dismissed suggestions that the concerns around sole sourcing were minor, insisting that the scale of the practice warrants closer scrutiny.

“The Minister is saying 44%. The Fourth Estate has a different figure and they are publishing that. I have not seen the Ministry say that this contract they have published is not true. Granted that we are even working with 44% of the Big Push projects going through sole sourcing, I think that is a serious cause for concern.

“It isn’t a figure that we should say, just 44%. If you add six, you are looking at 50%. That will be almost half of the contract going through sole sourcing.

“Road construction is not like blood transfusion that you will say, okay if you don’t do it, the people will die. We know the history of this country. These things will be rushed and the contract will be abandoned for years, contractors will be complaining they have not been paid and all. I don’t buy the argument that this is something that is trivial,” he said.

The comments come amid ongoing debate over procurement practices under the Big Push programme, following conflicting figures cited by government and investigative reports, and renewed calls for transparency and accountability in public contracting.