President Akufo-Addo has released the KPMG audit report on the controversial contract between the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML).
The release of the report comes after weeks of pressure from Ghanaians, including civil society organizations, who demanded it be made public due to numerous infractions in the contract.
The President commissioned KPMG to audit the contract on January 2, 2024, with an initial deadline of January 16, 2024, later extended to February 23, 2024. According to the audit findings, SML received a total of GH¢1,061,054,778.00 from 2018 to the present while partially fulfilling its obligations.
The report also noted that SML’s work had contributed to increased revenue in the downstream petroleum sector.
Contrary to the audit report’s claims, SML has disputed receiving GH¢1,061,054,778.00 for its contract with the GRA, arguing that KPMG cited the figure “without reference to the investments made and the taxes paid” during the review period.
On May 8, the Presidency declined a Right to Information (RTI) application submitted by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) seeking the full KPMG audit report on the grounds that it constitutes matters exempt under section 5 of the RTI Act.
Section 5 (1) (a) and (b) (i) of the RTI Act states that “information is exempt from disclosure where the information is prepared for submission or has been submitted to the President or Vice President for consideration or contains matters the disclosure of which would reveal information concerning opinion, advice, deliberation, recommendation, minutes or consultation made or given to the President or Vice President and is likely to undermine the deliberative process on the part of the President or Vice President.”
However, the Presidency has reversed its decision and released the report.
Read the full KPMG report as published by the Presidency below:
