President John Dramani Mahama has clarified that the newly launched Big Push infrastructure programme is reserved for experienced and capable contractors, not small-scale or unqualified operators he described as “wheelbarrow contractors.”
Speaking at the official launch of the initiative at Afienya in Accra on Tuesday, September 16, the President said he had received several requests from individuals seeking a share of the projects despite lacking the required expertise.
“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,’” Mahama stated. “You are my friend, but I won’t give it to you because it is not meant for wheelbarrow contractors.”
He explained that the programme is designed to fast-track critical infrastructure and, therefore, must rely on competent contractors—both local and foreign—already engaged in ongoing projects. Some of these projects, he noted, had been awarded before his administration took office, but rather than cancel them, his government repackaged them under the Big Push to accelerate delivery.
The Big Push programme is a flagship government initiative aimed at boosting infrastructure development across the country, covering roads, bridges, schools, hospitals, and other essential facilities.
