CHRAJ opens investigation into procurement at Ghana Highway Authority

The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice has opened a formal investigation into procurement practices at the Ghana Highway Authority following a petition from civil society coalition CitizenWatch Ghana alleging that contracts valued at GH¢620 million were awarded to firms with political connections without competitive tendering.nnCHRAJ Commissioner Joseph Whittal confirmed the investigation at a press briefing in Accra, saying the Commission had already written to the Ghana Highway Authority requesting all procurement documentation for the contested contracts dating back to 2023.nnThe petition names twelve contracts across six regions, including a GH¢140 million rehabilitation project on the Accra-Cape Coast highway that was awarded to a company incorporated three months before the contract was signed. CitizenWatch says three of the twelve companies share directors with officials of the governing party.nnGhana Highway Authority CEO Kwasi Amoako-Attah denied any wrongdoing and said all contracts were processed through the Public Procurement Authority and cleared by the entity’s internal procurement committee. He invited CHRAJ to review all documentation without restriction.nnThe Public Procurement Authority said it was cooperating with CHRAJ and had already flagged two of the twelve contracts for additional review during its own routine oversight process.nnCHRAJ has set a ninety-day timeline for completing its investigation and publishing findings. If the Commission finds evidence of criminal conduct, it is mandated to refer the matter to the Attorney-General.