GRA-SML deal: Majority kicks against publication of KPMG audit report

The Majority in Parliament has dismissed the National Democratic Congress’ demand for the publication of the KPMG audit report on the deal between Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Ltd (SML) and government represented by the Ministry of Finance and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).

According to the Caucus, it is not within the right of anyone to demand copies of the report.

This comes on the back of calls by some civil society organizations (CSOs) and individuals following the submission of the audit report, on April 24, 2024, to the President.

In a press statement, the Presidency revealed that total fees paid under the contracts from 2018 to the date of suspension amount to over one billion Ghana cedis, a claim that has since been denied by SML.

Subsequently, the opposition NDC joined calls for government to publish the full audit report.

But addressing the media in Parliament, the Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin stressed that the document belongs to the President.

“There is no doubt in our minds that the document is for advisory purposes, it is an opinion which is guiding Mr President in decision making.

So it is not within the right of anybody to demand for it much as it is written in law that public documents, for the sake of transparency and good governance be released to the public and members of the public have the right to receive it.

Afenyo-Markin said.

The Member of Parliament for Efutu also described the NDC’s calls for prosecution of persons involved in the SML deal are unfounded.

“Now we are aware that our friends in the NDC are calling for certain prosecutions.

I think that they have not paid attention to the whole issue and they only want to do politics as usual.

Their call is unfounded for the simple reason that there isn’t any established proof of any officer of state causing financial loss to the state.

“Indeed what they think are payments to SML are not payments borne out of the government’s revenue.

If you peruse the agreement, SML is paid out of what it generates and they would have to pay attention to the details.

They are paid 0.05% per litre of revenue that they generate as a result of the system that they put in place to monitor activities in the petroleum sector,” he said.