FLASHBACK: The era of sole sourcing will come to an end - Akufo-Addo's 2016 campaign promise pops up

Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo during his campaign in 2016 said he will ensure government projects and contracts were not only awarded through sole sourcing if elected president of the Republic.

In a tweet sighted by GhanaWeb Business, he said, “the era of sole sourcing will come to an end.”

Read the full story originally published on October 4, 2023 by www.ghanaweb.com.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo told Ghanaians in 2016 when he was campaigning for President that when he comes to power, he will ensure that government projects and contracts are not only awarded through sole sourcing.

According to him “the era of sole sourcing will come to an end.”

The tweet popped up in the midst of conversations currently ongoing about how the government is awarding contracts mostly through sole sourcing.

The Ghana Revenue Authority for instance was being “bashed” by Twitter users over sole sourcing contracts for the procurement of office curtains, furniture, and notepad diaries.

See details of some of the contracts below:

Supply of Office Furniture

Contract date – December 1, 2022

Contract Award Price - GH¢1,275,253.20

Contract Type – Single Sourced

Contract Awarded to – Jaide Solutions

Supply of Office Furniture

Contract date – December 1, 2022

Contract Award Price - $225,056.00

Contract Type – Single Sourced

Contract Awarded to – Precision Hub Service International

Supply and Installation of Office Curtains at Head Office Annex

Contract date – December 30, 2022

Contract Award Price - GH¢198,524.40

Contract Type – Single Sourced

Contract Awarded to – Emperor Hive Limited

Procurement of Furniture and Fittings

Contract date – September 27, 2022

Contract Award Price - GH¢1,060,476.56

Contract Type – Single Sourced

Contract Awarded to – Favrace Company Limited

Printing and Supply of 2023 Notepad Diaries

Contract date – October 14, 2022

Contract Award Price - GH¢1,275,253.20

Contract Type – Single Sourced

Contract Awarded to – JIT Magazine and Diaries Services Ltd

Another Procurement for Office Furniture

Contract date – June 30, 2022

Contract Award Price - GH¢1,767,846.60

Contract Type – Single Sourced

Contract Awarded to – Sams Firma Ltd

The main concerns that have been raised over the awarding of the contracts have been over the use of sole sourcing since the items do not fall under the criteria for sole sourcing.

According to the Public Procurement Authority, these are some of the justifications that the PPA accepts for sole sourcing:

(a) Where goods, works or services are only available from a particular supplier or contractor, or if a particular supplier or contractor has exclusive rights in respect of the goods, works, or services, and no reasonable alternative or substitute exists;

(b) Where there is an urgent need for the goods, works, or services and engaging in tender proceedings or any other method of procurement is impractical due to unforeseeable circumstances giving rise to the urgency which is not the result of dilatory conduct on the part of the procurement entity;

(c) Where owing to a catastrophic event, there is an urgent need for the goods, works, or technical services, making it impractical to use other methods of procurement because of the time involved in using those methods.

The era of sole sourcing will come to an end.

— Nana Akufo-Addo (@NAkufoAddo) August 23, 2016