Road contracts awarded on capacity, not politics – Mahama

President John Dramani Mahama has assured that contractors under the government’s flagship “Big Push” road programme are selected based on competence, not political affiliation.

Speaking at the Kwahu Easter Business Forum at the Kwahu Convention Centre on April 4, 2026, the President revealed that he resisted calls from some NDC supporters to prioritise party-aligned contractors over technically qualified firms linked to the opposition.

“Don’t they have the capacity to do the job?” President Mahama said, recalling discussions about firms believed to be associated with the New Patriotic Party (NPP). He explained that the matter ended there, as capacity remained the overriding criterion.

“They have the equipment. They employ Ghanaians. Anybody who has the capacity to move the project should be given it. For me, it is not about who does the project. The credit is that at the end of my term of office, I was able to repair all those roads,” he added.

The President emphasised that his administration does not apply political considerations when awarding public contracts. “I don’t have political colours when I look at the Ghanaian private sector,” he said.

The “Big Push” initiative is a national road rehabilitation programme expected to cover more than 2,000 kilometres of roads across Ghana. President Mahama cautioned that politicising business has historically undermined private sector growth, particularly during government transitions.

“Many companies start and because Ghana is a democratic country, potentially every eight years there is a changeover in government. Often, if a business is seen to be associated with one party or another, victimisation begins,” he said. He further urged entrepreneurs not to build businesses solely around government contracts, warning that such models leave firms vulnerable to political shifts.

The issue of political neutrality in business was reinforced in remarks attributed to Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, delivered by the Member of Parliament for Weija-Gbawe, Jerry Ahmed Shaib. The statement highlighted the risks of politicising local enterprise.

“When we politicise local enterprise, we create an uneven playing field that stifles innovation and discourages risk-taking,” it said. “When this happens, it is foreign businesses that profit while our indigenous enterprises struggle.”

The Kwahu Easter Business Forum, now in its third edition, was established by President Mahama and Chief of Staff Julius Debrah to promote dialogue on private sector growth. The 2026 forum brought together entrepreneurs, banking executives, heads of state-owned enterprises, and senior government officials to discuss strategies for expanding Ghana’s business landscape.