A senior aide in the Ashanti Regional Minister’s office has publicly questioned whether gospel musician and broadcaster Diana Asamoah has the competence to execute contracts under President John Mahama’s flagship “Big Push” infrastructure programme, following her recent public appeal for inclusion in the initiative.
Hussein Ibrahim, Special Aide to the Ashanti Regional Minister, raised the concern on Angel FM in Kumasi, arguing that the scale and ambition of the Big Push agenda demands contractors with established technical credentials rather than celebrity endorsement or political proximity.
“If Diana Asamoah could not complete the small, shoddy works given to her under the NPP government, how can she handle a Big Push project?” he questioned.
Asamoah had earlier made a public appeal on Angel FM, telling President Mahama that her status as a Ghanaian citizen qualifies her for a contract opportunity under the Big Push initiative, which focuses on major infrastructure and road development across the country. The gospel musician, a well-known supporter of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), had expressed her readiness to contribute to national development if given the opportunity.
Her request renewed attention on allegations that surfaced in prior years claiming she had been awarded a drainage system contract in the Adenta area during the NPP administration, through a company named Mabo Wo Din, with critics suggesting the award was linked to her political support rather than her technical capacity. Those allegations were never officially confirmed or denied by authorities.
Ibrahim maintained that the Big Push should exclusively benefit contractors with demonstrated capacity to deliver quality work. He named Don Cross Venture as an example of a credible local firm capable of executing solid road works, arguing that such companies should be prioritised over foreign firms and politically connected individuals alike.
He also praised Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson’s emphasis on value for money in public expenditure, saying proper inspection of projects, timelines, and labour requirements should precede any payment to contractors.
“The value-for-money initiative is commendable. Before any payment is made to a contractor, there should be proper inspection of the project, its structure, timelines, and labour requirements, to ensure accountability,” he said.
The Big Push programme has itself come under scrutiny, with the Minority in Parliament demanding full public disclosure of 81 sole-sourced contracts valued at over GH₵73 billion awarded within seven months of the Mahama administration taking office. The government has defended the contracts as lawful and urgency-driven.
