GRA-SML deal: Regardless of what benefits have been accrued, the contract was awarded illegally – Arthur Kennedy

Author and member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Arthur Kennedy has indicated that the simple truth is that the contract awarded to Strategic Mobilsation Limited (SML) by the Ministry of Finance and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) was done illegal.

According to him, any benefit gained from the deal cannot clear the fact that due process was not followed.

His comments come after a press statement from the Presidency revealed findings of the audit of the contract done by KPMG.

In the press statement, the presidency said “There is a clear need for the downstream petroleum audit services provided by SML. GRA and the State have benefited from these services since SML commenced providing them.”

President Akufo-Addo explained that this is because there has been an increase in volumes of 1.7 billion litres and an increase in tax revenue to the State of GHS2.45 billion.

In the statement, the President also directed GRA and the Ministry of Finance to renegotiate the deal with SML.

Speaking to Joy News, Dr. Arthur Kennedy tagged this as a red flag, arguing that government is trying to hide something.

He proposes that the Presidency should release the full KPMG report for the public to have access and review the report.

"It appears that the government is trying to hide something. The fundamentals of this are clear and the contracts were awarded illegally and regardless what benefits have been accrued, it begs the question of why, regardless of the official disapproval, people went round the processes and awarded the contract."

"Of course, a contract can be awarded improperly to somebody who might deliver some benefits when for example the terms of the contract were inimical to the public interest. And I think that the best thing the government can do is actually to release the KPMG report so that the public can we review that," Arthur Kennedy argued.