The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has leveled serious allegations against the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government, accusing them of attempting to conceal corruption and criminality within the SML deal, as revealed by a yet-to-be-published KPMG investigation.
In a press conference held at their Adabraka head-office, Sammy Gyamfi, the National Communication Officer of the NDC, expressed concerns over the Presidency's handling of the report.
While the report acknowledged breaches of several laws in contracts between the Ministry of Finance, the Ghana Revenue Authority, and SML, it fell short of recommending the cancellation of these agreements, according to the NDC.
Gyamfi emphasized that all transactions conducted by SML under its various contracts were deemed illegal by the NDC.
They pointed out that these single-sourced contracts lacked approval from the GRA board and Parliamentary approval as multi-year contracts, as mandated by the Public Financial Management Act.
Consequently, the NDC argued that all payments made to SML were illegal and constituted a financial loss to the state.
Despite claims by the Presidency that services rendered by SML saved the country approximately GH₵3 billion and contributed to an increase in petroleum volumes and tax revenue, the NDC dismissed these assertions as baseless.
They asserted that there was no evidence to support SML's work in the matter.
In response to the controversy, the NDC reiterated former President John Dramani Mahama's promise to terminate the illegal contracts between the Government of Ghana and SML if the party emerged victorious in the 2024 general elections.
Additionally, they pledged to launch credible and transparent investigations to recover all illegal payments made to SML and prosecute individuals involved in these transactions.
The NDC's allegations have intensified the scrutiny surrounding the SML deal, raising questions about accountability and transparency within the government's procurement processes.
As the political landscape heats up in the run-up to the elections, the outcome of these investigations could have significant implications for both the ruling party and the opposition.
Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith