By Issah Olegor
The Minority in Parliament has launched a fresh attack on Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, accusing him of contradicting his own government’s commitment to strengthening the public procurement regime by allegedly presiding over scandalous projects in his constituency that were awarded through single-source and restricted tender processes.
The allegations were made by the Member of Parliament for Okaikwei Central, Patrick Yaw Boamah, during parliamentary proceedings, where he questioned the credibility of the Finance Minister’s recent assurances that the government was tightening procurement rules to promote transparency, accountability and value for money in the award of public contracts.
The projects amounting to over GHC4 billion were singlehandedly diverted to his constituency.
According to Patrick Boamah, three major government projects earmarked for the Finance Minister’s Ajumako-Enyan-Esiam Constituency in the Central Region appear to have been awarded using procurement methods that contradict the reform agenda being championed by Dr. Ato Forson.
The first project cited by the lawmaker is the proposed Mankessim–Ajumako–Swedru Road, a 111-kilometre stretch expected to cost approximately US$250 million (GHC3 billion).
Boamah explained that the contract was awarded through a single-source procurement process, a method that bypasses competitive bidding under circumstances permitted by the Public Procurement Act.
He further noted that the planned Ajumako Military Barracks, estimated to cost about GH¢200 million, was also awarded through a single-source procurement arrangement.
The project landed in Ajumako with the Finance minister using his influence as the acting Defence Minister for a year now after the unfortunate death of Dr Edward Kofi Omane Boamah in a plane crash.
The minister’s constituents also got unrestrained chances into the military in the recent recruitment carried out by the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF). While multiple deaths were recorded during the exercise some were smuggled through the backdoor in the name of protocol. Story on that will be revisited.
The Minority MP also questioned the decision to construct a Specialist Hospital in Ajumako instead of Cape Coast. According to him, the hospital project, valued at approximately GH¢850 million, equivalent to nearly US$80 million, is being procured through a restricted tender process rather than an open competitive bidding system.
Addressing the House, Yaw Boamah argued that these procurement decisions undermine the Finance Minister’s public declarations on procurement reforms.
“If the Minister comes to this House to tell us that he is tightening procurement rules and the procurement regime, then I don’t believe what he is talking about,” the Okaikwei Central legislator stated.
Beyond the procurement methods, Boamah raised concerns over what he described as potential conflicts of interest within Ghana’s public procurement oversight structure.
He alleged that the constituency chairman of the Finance Minister currently serves as the Chairman of the Central Tender Review Committee, while another individual from the minister’s constituency occupies the position of Chief Executive Officer of the Public Procurement Authority (PPA).
NDC constituency Communications officer is also said to be the CEO of the Ghana Depositor Protection Corporation while another officer is said to be acting as the deputy Ambassador to South Korea.
According to the MP, the situation raises governance concerns because the Public Procurement Authority falls under the supervisory responsibility of the Ministry of Finance.
Describing the arrangement as a potential “conflict of interest and abuse,” Boamah called for greater transparency in public
According to the MP, the situation raises governance concerns because the Public Procurement Authority falls under the supervisory responsibility of the Ministry of Finance.
Describing the arrangement as a potential “conflict of interest and abuse,” Boamah called for greater transparency in public procurement and urged the government to ensure that procurement oversight institutions remain independent and free from political influence.
The allegations come against the backdrop of the Mahama administration’s renewed commitment to reform Ghana’s procurement system as part of broader public financial management reforms.
Government has consistently maintained that strengthening procurement processes is critical to reducing waste, improving efficiency and ensuring value for taxpayers’ money.
Public procurement has remained one of the most contentious governance issues in Ghana over the years, with successive governments facing criticism over the use of single-source and restricted tender procurement methods.
While the Public Procurement Act permits both procedures under specific circumstances—including emergencies, specialised contracts and situations where only one supplier is capable of delivering a project—governance experts have frequently called for greater transparency to prevent abuse and ensure fairness in the award of public contracts.
