Walewale MP accuses John Jinapor of dubious procurement amid energy sector concerns

Walewale Member of Parliament, Tia Abdul-Kabiru Mahama, has voiced serious concerns over the government’s procurement practices in the energy sector, accusing the Minister for Energy, John Jinapor, of sidestepping established procedures to award contracts without sufficient oversight.

His comments follow the Ministry’s request for emergency funding to address pressing fuel shortages that have raised widespread concern.

Although acknowledging the urgency of the sector’s financial difficulties, Mr Mahama questioned the methods being employed by the Minister to resolve the crisis.

Speaking in an interview with Channel One TV on Saturday, May 17, the lawmaker specifically accused Mr Jinapor of exploiting the situation to justify non-competitive procurement practices, particularly sole-sourcing, thereby avoiding the standard procurement protocols.

“Since he assumed office, it has been one alarm after the other. And I understand he is doing that because it gives him the leeway to award contracts without passing through procurement,” the Walewale MP alleged.

He further claimed that more than GH₵200 million worth of contracts have been granted through sole-sourcing—without adherence to the procedures designed to uphold transparency and accountability in public spending.

“My intelligence and oversight suggest that over GH₵200 million worth of sole-sourcing has been done without going through the right process. He should stop the scare-mongering and be more of a hope-monger,” Mr Mahama stated.

The MP stressed the critical need for compliance with procurement laws, especially within a sector already under financial strain.

Mr Mahama thus argued that the Minister’s current approach is deeply flawed, warning that persistent use of fear-based narratives to justify questionable procurement decisions risks eroding public confidence in the government’s ability to manage the energy crisis responsibly.

“He has a responsibility of fixing it and letting the good people of Ghana know that he is going to fix it and not to be scaremongering,” he added.

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