Mahama Upholds Competence Over Politics in Ghana’s “Big Push” Road Programme

Kwahu, April 4, 2026 – President John Dramani Mahama has affirmed that political affiliation will not influence contract awards under his government’s flagship road rehabilitation initiative, the “Big Push.”

Speaking at the Kwahu Easter Business Forum at the Kwahu Convention Centre, the President said he resisted pressure from within his own National Democratic Congress (NDC) support base to exclude contractors perceived to be aligned with the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP).

“Don’t they have the capacity to do the job?” President Mahama asked, emphasizing that technical and financial competence—not political loyalty—remains the overriding criterion for project awards.

He added: “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.”

The President described the Big Push initiative as a major national road rehabilitation programme expected to cover more than 2,000 kilometres of roads across Ghana. He warned that the politicisation of business has historically hampered 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.

President Mahama also advised entrepreneurs against building businesses solely around government contracts, noting that such models leave firms vulnerable to political shifts.

The issue of political neutrality in business was echoed by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, through remarks delivered by MP Jerry Ahmed Shaib, who warned that politicising local enterprises undermines competitiveness, stifles innovation, and benefits foreign firms at the expense of indigenous businesses.

Now in its third edition, the Kwahu Easter Business Forum was established by President Mahama and Chief of Staff Julius Debrah to foster dialogue on private sector growth and investment, bringing together entrepreneurs, bankers, heads of state-owned enterprises, and senior officials to strategize on expanding Ghana’s business landscape.