President John Dramani Mahama has approved a series of procurement reforms aimed at tightening oversight of public contracts, including mandatory Value for Money assessments and Cabinet clearance for major single-source deals.

The measures follow a review of contracts awarded under the government's flagship Big Push infrastructure initiative after concerns raised in a report submitted to the Presidency by The Fourth Estate.

Although the review did not uncover any evidence of misconduct in the award of the contracts, the President endorsed a set of recommendations designed to improve transparency, strengthen accountability and enhance financial scrutiny in public procurement.

The announcement was made by the Minister of State for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, during a briefing on Monday, June 15, 2026.

New Procurement Measures Mandatory Value for Money Assessment

Under the new framework, all public sector contracts awarded through single-source procurement above a specified threshold must receive certification from the recently established Value for Money Office before they can proceed.

Cabinet Clearance for Major Single-Source Contracts

Government has also introduced a requirement for Cabinet approval before any high-value contract awarded through sole sourcing can be finalised.

Move to Restrict Single-Source Procurement

President Mahama has directed the Ministry of Finance and the Office of the Attorney-General to accelerate work on legislation that would limit the use of single-source procurement to exceptional and justifiable cases.

Greater Public Access to Contract Information

As part of efforts to promote openness, details of all single-source contract awards will be published on a centralised electronic procurement platform. The disclosures will include information on the verified beneficial owners of companies awarded the contracts.

Value for Money Office

The Value for Money Office was created under legislation passed by Parliament on March 26, 2026, and subsequently signed into law by President Mahama on May 11, 2026.

The institution is expected to play a key role in evaluating major public expenditure decisions and ensuring that government projects provide maximum value for public funds while strengthening ac