Gilbert Atippoe, a staffer to the President, has fired back at The Fourth Estate over a report on the Presidential Committee's investigation into sole-sourced contracts under the Big Push infrastructure programme. Atippoe has challenged the accuracy of the report, saying official records contradict key claims made by the publication.
Presidential Staffer Challenges Big Push Probe Report
The Fourth Estate had revealed in March 2026 that the Ministry of Roads and Highways had allegedly become a factory for sole-sourcing under the government's Big Push initiative. The publication also exposed how contracts had been awarded to companies with questionable capacity and experience.
In a social media post on Tuesday, August 11, Atippoe said official records from state regulatory institutions contradict key claims contained in The Fourth Estate's publication. He argued that this raises questions about the basis on which the media organisation reached its conclusions.
Company Registration Dispute
One of the issues Atippoe raised concerns the registration history of Growth 82 Ventures. According to him, records from the Office of the Registrar of Companies show that the company was incorporated on August 18, 2020, under registration number BN680822020. He said the record contradicts any assertion that the company's existence did not correspond with the timeline presented in the committee's report.
Atippoe further pointed to records from the Ministry of Roads and Highways concerning Growth 82 Global Ltd. He said the company holds an A1, B1 financial classification, which he described as the top-tier classification required for major infrastructure works.
SSNIT Records Cited
The presidential staffer also disputed claims concerning the workforce capacity of contractors referenced in the committee's report. He cited SSNIT records relating to Build Managers Ltd and Sanam Ghana Ltd, saying the companies had active employee rolls of 20 and 26 workers respectively.
According to him, both companies also held valid SSNIT Clearance Certificates and had met their statutory obligations under the National Pensions Act, 2008 (Act 766). Atippoe said the records undermine concerns about whether the companies had the workforce capacity reflected in the committee's assessment.
Demand for Correction
Atippoe has subsequently accused The Fourth Estate of failing to conduct adequate verification of regulatory records before publishing its report. He said the publication had unfairly cast doubt on the professional integrity of Dr Valerie Sawyerr and other members of the Presidential Committee.
"Basic journalistic ethics and public accountability dictate that when a media organisation publishes inaccurate premises that damage public reputations, a prompt correction is required," Atippoe said. He is therefore calling on The Fourth Estate to retract what he described as a misleading publication and issue an unreserved public apology to Dr Sawyerr and the members of the committee.
The Fourth Estate has yet to respond to Atippoe's allegations, but the exchange has raised questions about the accuracy of the original report and the integrity of the Presidential Committee's investigation. As the debate continues, one thing is clear: the Big Push infrastructure programme remains at the centre of a storm that shows no signs of abating.
Source: Joy Online
