The National Democratic Congress government has come under scrutiny from some Ghanaians over what many describe as double standards in its approach to certain governance policies.

This follows media reports alleging that the government’s flagship Big Push Infrastructure Programme was implemented through sole sourcing.

NDC never said sole-sourcing was a sin or unlawful – Sammy Gyamfi

Amid this, a video of some of the party’s senior figures, while in opposition, speaking against sole sourcing and outlining what they intended to do once in power, has resurfaced, generating more questions from some citizens about the consistency of their positions.

The video, which is a compilation, features the likes of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa; the CEO of the Ghana Gold Board, Sammy Gyamfi; and President John Dramani Mahama, calling out the then New Patriotic Party government over sole sourcing of some contracts.

Ablakwa, in the video clip where he appeared on a media station, stated that the NDC’s Resetting Ghana Agenda would ensure an amendment of the Public Procurement Act.

He added that sole sourcing would be a thing of the past under an NDC government.

“What we are saying in the Reset Ghana manifesto is that when we come to power, we will amend the Public Procurement Act. We will put a stop to the single sourcing because it has been abused,” Ablakwa said in the video.

Similarly, Sammy Gyamfi accused the past NPP government of looting the state through sole sourcing.

“A new angle being used by the NPP to loot the state is what we call sole sourcing,” he said.

President Mahama, addressing a gathering at the National Economic Dialogue in 2025, also emphasised that single-source procurement should not become standard practice.

“Single source procurement must be the rare exception rather than the norm. We must also subject government projects above a certain threshold to value-for-money audits,” Mahama stated.

Some Ghanaians argue that the government and its members appear to have acted contrary to the ideals they once championed, raising concerns of hypocrisy, especially given their previous condemnations of the past administration on similar matters they appear to now be engaged in.

Meanwhile, according to the Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwame Governs Agbodza, all contracts under the Big Push programme have been awarded in strict compliance with the Public Procurement Act and its regulations.

He stressed that procurement processes remain transparent, with full contractual details publicly accessible on the ministry's website.

Agbodza also revealed that contrary to claims of widespread sole sourcing, only 44 percent of major contracts, including those under the Big Push, were awarded through sole sourcing, while over 400 contracts have been procured through open competitive tendering.

"It is, therefore, misleading for any right-thinking person to conclude that the Ministry only relies on sole sourcing," he told Parliament.

Government dismisses 'sole sourcing' claims against 'Big Push' initiative

He explained that given the scale and urgency of addressing Ghana's deteriorated road network, a mix of procurement methods was deliberately adopted within the bounds of the law to accelerate delivery and prevent cost escalations.

According to him, strict adherence to lengthy procurement processes would have significantly delayed critical projects and worsened economic hardship.

Watch the video below:

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♬ original sound - HARRISON