‘Capacity over politics’ — Mahama defends awarding contracts to NPP-linked firms
President John Dramani Mahama has said he resisted pressure from within his own political support base to exclude contractors perceived to be aligned with the opposition from benefiting under the government’s flagship road programme.
Speaking at the Kwahu Easter Business Forum at the Kwahu Convention Centre on April 4, 2026, the President indicated that contract awards under the “Big Push” road initiative would be based solely on capacity rather than political affiliation.
According to him, some supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) had expressed concern about contractors believed to be linked to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) securing projects under the programme.
However, he said those raising the concerns acknowledged that the contractors in question had the technical and financial capacity to execute the projects but argued that firms associated with the NDC should be prioritised.
“Don’t they have the capacity to do the job?” President Mahama said he asked.
He explained that the discussion ended at that point, as competence remained the overriding consideration.
“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 said.
President Mahama emphasised that his administration does not apply political criteria in the award of public contracts.
“I don’t have political colours when I look at the Ghanaian private sector,” he added.
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 the country.
He cautioned that the politicisation of business has historically undermined private sector growth in Ghana, particularly during transitions of political power.
“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 further advised entrepreneurs against building businesses solely around government contracts, warning that such models leave firms vulnerable to political change.
The issue of political neutrality in business was also highlighted in remarks attributed to Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, delivered on his behalf by the Member of Parliament for Weija-Gbawe, Jerry Ahmed Shaib.
The prepared statement warned that the politicisation of indigenous businesses risks weakening their competitiveness.
“When we politicise local enterprise, we create an uneven playing field that stifles innovation and discourages risk-taking,” the Minority Leader’s prepared address stated. “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 initiated by President Mahama and Chief of Staff Julius Debrah as a platform to promote dialogue on private sector growth and investment.
The 2026 event brought together entrepreneurs, banking executives, heads of state-owned enterprises and senior government officials to explore strategies for expanding Ghana’s business landscape.
