The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has accused the Mahama-led Administration of abusing the country’s sole-sourcing procurement rules for personal gain.
The party says government is capitalizing on the procurement rules to engage in corrupt business practices.
Policy Advisor to the NPP flagbearer, Boakye Agyarko told Citi Breakshow Show host, Bernard Avle that government’s decision to practice of procuring goods and services through sole sourcing has resulted in the country getting bad competitive rates.
Sole sourcing has featured prominently in most of the major corruption scandals in recent past with many calling on government to stop sole sourcing contracts.
Mr Boakye Agyarko said, an NPP government will restrict the over-reliance on sole sourcing as a procurement tool as a way of reducing corruption in the country.
“Anything you do by sole sourcing is not the most efficient. When you sole source, you are not getting the best competitive rate.”
The policy adviser stressed that the NDC government over taxing Ghanaians, making it difficult for individuals and businesses in the country to thrive.
According to him, the many taxes imposed on Ghanaians by the John Mahama led administration has collapsed many businesses with some being forced to move from Ghana and invest in neighboring countries.
“Taxes are a burden, a drag to the development of an economy. Taxes have a smaller multiplier in terms of growing the economy than consumption or investment so government through tax spending is not an efficient use of resource for businesses. It leaves them with less capital to invest and to expand their businesses because taxes constitute a cost of business,” “The taxes are too many, they are dragging investments down, they are making the cost of doing business in this country prohibitive.
He said an NPP government under the leadership of Nana Akufo-Addo will shift the focus of economic policy away from taxation to production to boost the local economy.
‘Stop sole source’
The Chairman of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Kwaku Agyemang Manu has asked government to stop the practice of sole-sourcing in awarding contracts for national projects.
According to him, sole-sourcing is the root cause of most of the corruption scandals that has hit the Mahama government.
He said According to him, sole sourcing is the root cause of most of the corruption scandals that has hit the Mahama government.
–
By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana