Agenda 111: You ignored procurement laws in award of contract to Adjaye Associates – Institute of Architects to government

The Ghana Institute of Architects says government did not follow laid down procedures to award a design contract to Adjaye Associates owned by architect Sir David Adjaye.

The company was awarded the contract by government as sod has been cut for the construction of the 111 Health Facilities across the country.

The renowned architect is the brain behind the proposed design for the National Cathedral.

Deputy Finance Minister John Kumah had earlier told JoyNews on The Probe that the right legal procedure was used in the selection despite his inability to state what specific procurement method was utilised.

“I cannot tell you on this table which of the procedure was adopted. We are interested in the financing. We have the technical side. However, I can assure you all the necessary legal procedures were followed,” he said.

But Honorary Secretary of the Ghana Institute of Architects, Augustus Richardson, has disputed this.

He said there was no open call for bids from other members of the Institute. 

Ghana’s Public Procurement law allows entities to use single-source procurement under exceptional circumstances like where the goods are only available from a particular contractor, where there is an urgent need for the goods, among others.

Mr Richardson told JoyNews that none of the exceptional circumstances was occasioned, adding that there were announcements for competitive bids to be sent.

“You handpick a person under the pretext of sole-sourcing, yet when you read the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) Act on sole-sourcing, the terms there do not apply or make these things worthwhile? Why are we doing this? We decry this as an Institute,” he said.

According to him, International best practice is against such actions.

“The point is not about him being a Ghanaian architect, we are in a global world where everything is about competition. Ghanaians compete with their abroad counterparts and the reverse is also true,” he said.