No room for unqualified contractors in Big Push - Mahama declares
Mahama: Big Push Projects Reserved for Qualified Contractors, Not ‘Wheelbarrow Operators’
Elohim Nyame 
President John Dramani Mahama has stressed that the government’s newly launched Big Push infrastructure programme will only be awarded to qualified and capable contractors, dismissing attempts by unqualified operators to benefit.
Speaking at the official launch of the initiative at Afienya in Accra on Tuesday, 16 September, the President said he had received requests from individuals he described as “wheelbarrow contractors,” seeking to secure projects under the scheme.
“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 remarked.
President Mahama explained that the Big Push is designed to fast-track major national infrastructure projects and therefore cannot be compromised by awarding contracts to unqualified hands.
According to him, the government has selected both experienced local and foreign contractors already engaged in active projects. Some of these contracts were awarded before his administration assumed office, but instead of terminating them, they have been repackaged under the Big Push to ensure speedy completion.
The Big Push, which is one of the flagship programmes of the Mahama administration, is expected to significantly accelerate infrastructure development across Ghana, addressing long-standing gaps in roads, energy, housing, and public facilities.
President Mahama reiterated that the initiative is about delivering results, not distributing favours, insisting that the government remains committed to professionalism and quality in national development.
