What are you hiding about the stinky SML/GRA deal? — Manasseh quizzes Akufo-Addo over refusal to disclose full KPMG report

Ghanaian investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni, whose investigative piece helped uncover issues about a contract between the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Strategic Mobilization Limited (SML), has slammed the government's lack of transparency.

The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) had filed requests under the Right to Information Law to access the complete KPMG report on the contract, following partial release of the report by the president.

However, in a May 7 letter, the presidency denied the request citing exemptions around presidential decision-making processes.

"What is Akufo-Addo hiding from us? The SML deal stinks," stated Manasseh Awuni, the Editor in Chief of The Fourth Estate, in a social media post on Wednesday, May 8.

"If they think hiding the KPMG report will make us forget the SML scandal, they should think again. The SML scandal will not die," he added.

According to him, former President John Mahama, despite Ghana not having passed the RTI Act in his tenure, granted a similar request that came out of his previous investigation.

The investigative journalist warned, "those behind it in the past and in the future will face justice, no matter how long it takes."

The SML agreement has faced allegations of failing to deliver promised returns for Ghana following an investigative piece by the Fourth Estate.

Questions were raised about whether SML's work increased tax revenues as claimed.

In response, President Akufo-Addo commissioned auditing firm KPMG to conduct a thorough review of the contract and transactions earlier this year.

On April 24, the President issued directives on KPMG’s report. The release noted that KPMG found among other things that the work done by SML resulted in closing a petroleum lifting volume of 1.7 billion litres and generating tax revenues of about GH¢2.45 billion for the period May 2020 – December 2023.

The release also listed some legal and governance breaches in the award of SML’s contract.

However, the findings of KPMG have been challenged by the Civil Society Organisations who in their view, no increase in volumes benefited from SML’s work and consequently, no tax revenue was derived.