Ghanaian investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has weighed in on the government’s newly launched Big Push infrastructure programme, cautioning that corruption could derail its potential impact.
In a Facebook post sighted by MyNewsGh, Manasseh suggested the initiative could deliver transformative results if implemented with transparency.
“If BIG PUSH is implemented without corruption, it will birth an elephant-sized impact that could cause problems in some quarters,” he wrote, in what many interpreted as a subtle jab at the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Meanwhile, President John Dramani Mahama has clarified that the programme will be reserved strictly for qualified contractors with the capacity to deliver on large-scale infrastructure projects.
Speaking at the launch of the initiative at Afienya in Accra on Tuesday, September 16, Mahama dismissed attempts by smaller operators to lobby for inclusion.
“There are a few wheelbarrow contractors who have come to me saying, ‘Oh, I hear they are distributing projects under the Big Push.
‘I want one.’ I say, ‘My friend, this is not for wheelbarrow contractors. You are my friend, but I won’t give it to you because it is not meant for wheelbarrow contractors,’” he said.
About the Big Push
The Big Push is a flagship initiative designed to fast-track national infrastructure development.
It is expected to channel major investments into roads, bridges, schools, hospitals, and other critical projects that will have a lasting impact on Ghana’s growth trajectory.
